Monday, October 14, 2013

How Much Does It Cost to Adopt?

The following data was published this week in Adoptive Families Magazine, based on the results of a survey taken by 1500 families who adopted in 2010-2011:

 Domestic Newborn - AgencyDomestic Newborn- IndependentU.S. Foster
Homestudy Fee $1,820$1,538$285
Document Preparation & Authentication$768$680$0
Adoption Agency Application & Program Fees$14,441$4,608$0
Legal Fees $3,536$10,331$686
Advertising/
Networking
$2,172$3,437$0
Birth Family Counseling$1,233$543$0
Birthmother Expenses$3,834$4,274$0
Foster Care$230$38$0
Travel Expenses$1,870$2,285$521
All Other Expenses$4,108$2,488$761
TOTAL$34,012$30,222$2,253
 
Average International Adoption Cost 

 ChinaEthiopiaRussiaSouth KoreaUkraine
Homestudy Fee $2,052$2,107$1,923$2,178$1,886
Document Preparation & Authentication$2,214$1,769$3,258$1,472$1,272
Adoption Agency Application & Program Fees$7,652$11,988$22,173$16,675$6,143
In-Country Adoption Expenses $5,581$1,979$6,709$9,007$13,946
Child's Passport, Visa, Medical Exam, and Other Fees$716$837$1,431$888$1,021
Post-Adoption Expenses$1,576$1,150$1,684$1,775$767
Major Travel Expenses$7,181$7,852$14,748$5,577$9,614
In-Country Travel Expenses$2,704$1,080$6,709$583$2,386
All Other Expenses$2,125$5,363$7,569$8,533$5,000
TOTAL$31,801$34,125$66,204$46,688$42,035

And my personal thoughts after looking at the data:

1) Costliness is yet another factor why I cringe when I hear anyone say "just" adopt!

2)  Adopting through the U.S. Foster Care System seems like a financially prudent way to go about building your family through adoption.

Did you adopt in 2012 or 2013?  Take this year's Adoptive Families Magazine's Cost & Timing of Adoption Survey.  If more than 1,000 parents complete the survey, Adoptive Families will randomly select an adoptive parent and donate $300 to the adoption charity of his or her choice!

2 comments:

acceptance with joy said...

I don't remember what it cost up front to adopt the kids from foster care. Not a lot. Especially considering we were being sent a stipend to care for the kids already, but after the adoption was over we GOT everything we paid out back. AND about $15 thousand per kid. I think the return is less now. BUT it was helpful as we had to buy a new vehicle to accomadate the kids.

MamaFoster said...

It is interesting to me that in some states it costs more to adopt out of foster care than others. In michigan it costs $200 which you get back almost immediately.