Common Types of Expenses You May Encounter During Adoption
On average, the typical adoptive parent spends about $30,000 to adopt an infant. There are several different things that factor into the cost of adoption, so people can end up paying anywhere from $0 to $30,000. If you are planning on adopting, here is what you need to know about common expenses.
Cost of a Home Study
In any adoption, you will need a home study. This can involve multiple visits with social workers who carefully examine your home, your finances, and your background. The home study is an essential process that ensures any adoptive child will be taken care of properly. Usually a home study costs somewhere between $1,000 to $4,000. However, if you have to change your living situation and get multiple studies to pass, expenses may rise. Whether or not you pay a lot for your home study will depend on whether it is done through a private agent or a state official.
Legal Fees
Whether you choose to adopt privately, through the state, or through the insurance, expect to spend a lot of time completing paperwork. Depending on the course of your adoption, you may have several court dates where you need to speak to a judge as well. Though it is technically possible to do this yourself, almost no one does. Working with a New Jersey adoption lawyer is the only way to ensure everything is properly filled out and filed. Having an attorney on your side saves a lot of stress and helps everything go far more smoothly. Depending on your needs, these fees may range from a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars.
Expenses for the Birth Mother
If you plan on adopting an infant who is not yet born, you may need to pay for the birth mother’s expenses. Legally, you cannot pay the birth mother directly for the infant. However, you are permitted to compensate her for expenses incurred during the pregnancy. These expenses can include a lot more than just the medical bills for the childbirth itself. You may end up paying for:
• Maternity clothes
• Rent
• Transportation to appointments
• Medical insurance
• Food
• Medical bills
Travel Costs
It is rare for expectant parents to match with a child who lives in their neighborhood. Typically, you will need to travel quite a few times through the adoption. You may make a few visits to meet the child and then travel to actually collect the child once the adoption is finalized. It is quite common for parents to end up traveling to other states or even countries during adoption. Therefore, these expenses can end up adding up.
Adoption Agency Fees
This is the main reason why adoption costs so much. When you choose to adopt through an adoption agency, you have to pay whatever facilitating fee the agency requires. Depending on agency, this can be somewhere from $10,000 to $60,000. This payment is usually a flat rate that gives you access to all of the agency’s services. Though it is pricey, it can be helpful to have someone who will guide you through every step of the adoption. Often, birth mothers choose to work with an agency instead of surrendering their child to a state. Therefore, an agency adoption may be the only way to adopt an infant within your time frame. There are all sorts of pros and cons to going with an agency versus adopting through the foster care system. You will just need to decide if the convenience is worth the higher price tag.
As you can see, there is quite a bit of variation in adoption expenses. If you want to stick to a tight budget, it is important to work with a New Jersey adoption lawyer who can streamline the whole process. At Cofsky & Zeidman, our team works hard to help Philadelphia families through the adoption process. Call 215-563-2150 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a consultation.
For adopted children who were under the age of 18 before February 27, 2001, the Child Citizen Act of 2000 applies. This act allows all child adoptees to get citizenship as long as they meet certain requirements. However, the child or their family members still have to apply. Otherwise, citizenship is not granted to the child. Those who are too old to meet the cutoff also need to apply for citizenship, but things are a little trickier. The adoptees will need to go through the usual citizen application process instead of the streamlined version now available to younger adoptees.