Maybe you’ve been unable to have a child biologically, or you’ve just decided that you’d like to build a family by providing a good home for a child in need. But you’re concerned about the costs of adoption, as you’ve heard tales of couples spending tens of thousands of dollars to bring a child into their homes. So how much can you really expect to spend on an adoption? Two answers—one that won’t surprise and one that might.

The first answer—the one that’s not a surprise—is that it depends, and the variables are many:

• Are you adopting domestically or internationally? With many international adoptions, there’s a significant travel requirement, which can quickly escalate costs. However, you can just as easily spend lots of dollars in a domestic adoption, as you may have to travel out of state to pick up your child, and may not be able to leave the state with the child until all court proceedings are final.
• Are you using an agency? There will be a number of fees associated with an agency, but you’ll also have costs if you try to handle most of the details by yourself of with the assistance of an attorney.
• What have you agreed to pay for on behalf of the birth mother? Much of this is negotiable, but be advised. The more your birth mother asks and you give, the more she’s likely to keep asking. Don’t let yourself be fleeced just because you want a baby.

The second answer, which will surprise you, is that an adoption doesn’t need to, and often does actually, cost as much as you think it would:

• You’ll need to pay for a home study, which can cost anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. If the provider wants more than $750, ask them why.
• Many adoption agencies offer sliding fee scales, so that less affluent families can adopt, too.
• There are tax incentives for adoption, and many employers offer a variety of benefits to reduced the costs of adoption for employees
• There are loans and grants available to help families who seek to adopt. Check out the National Adoption Foundation as www.nafadopt.org.

Contact Our Office

To set up an appointment, call us in Haddonfield at 856-429-5005 or in Woodbury at 856-845-2555. We can also be reached in Philadelphia at 215-563-2150 or by e-mail. For clients with personal injury or workers’ compensation claims, we offer a free initial consultation, and will represent you on a contingency basis, only charging attorney fees if we recover compensation for you.

Our offices are open weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Weekend and evening appointments may be arranged upon request. We will also come to your home or the hospital, if necessary.