How expensive is a public, domestic (US) adoption?

Question

people tell us it's so expensive to adopt here but isn't that just private adoptions?

I don't care what kind of kid I get, I live in inner city baltimore so there are tons of kids who need a good home...is it really expensive to do?

Answer 1

anywhere from 5,000-22,000!  Over the weekend I was talking to my brother in law about adoption.  Him and his wife are starting the process to adopt internationally.  He told me that if a child is missing a toe for instance then the price goes down and the process is sped up as well!

I suggest you do foster care to a child in the US.  The law states that if a child's parents has no contact with him/her for 1 year then you can automatically adopt...and then you just pay the court fees (really inexpensive).  This includes babies!

Answer 2

I normally don't do this, but this video will help you with the ins, and outs of adoption. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7Zuu...

Answer 3

The adoption process itself isn't that expensive.  Ours was less than $1000.00, including home study, court fees, paperwork costs, and attorney.  

Finding a child to adopt is the hard part.  The agencies are in it for the money for the most part.  It's quite a shame that first parents don't get the help that they need, except for taking the baby.  

We had been introduced to our son's 1st mom through a mutual friend.  Things are going good between us, and we're working on new parts of our adoption everyday now.  She is pregnant again, and I'm working on helping her to keep this child, to build her confidence so she doesn't place like the father wants, and to help her in the future.  I'll probably babysit the baby once she has it, that way my (our) son's sibling will be in constant contact together, and he'll know that we all love him.

Answer 4

Its not the expense thats the problem. Its that they want a "for keeps" baby/toddler. Those types of Pap's only want to help if they can keep a child "forever".  They are willing to pay top dollar for that even if they can't really afford to.

A police officer and his wife up the street from me got a second mortagage(thanks to a corrupt appraiser)  on their house so they could pay the international fees for a China doll. They have a skyrocketing adjustable rate mortagage and are now facing forclosure and asking neighbors to help him and his family out. Whats pathetic is that he's using the adoption as the rational for his financial irresponsibility not that he doesn't make much money to begin with and that he has two loans for their cars and bought more house than he could orignally afford.  

Answer 5

Once you have a completed home study adoption through foster care is FREE. The kids in foster care would love to find a forever family. Private domestic infant adoption could be anywhere from $18,000 - $40,000 depending on the color of the child. Sad but true.