Is there a way for cheaper adoption? 10 points?

Question

please read the whole description!!

Ok, obviously i'm not planning to adopt any time soon, but i'm just wondering about this.

my adopted friend's adoption cost upwards of 20,000 USD, and her sister was about that range too... and my boyfriend also said he read somewhere that adoptions cost 21,000 USD.

what is a cheaper way to adopt?

Not to sound racist or prejudiced, but i don't really like the idea of international adoptions... so please don't tell me how it's cheaper.

foster care is also out of the question, because i'm wondering about raising a child from birth or infancy on.

if one put an ad in a newspaper or on the internet (like in the movie Juno) for a parent-to-be willing to put up her baby for adoption, would that baby's adoption be cheaper than that from an adoption agency? i hope this question makes sense...

bonus: you don't have to answer this if you don't know. do most adoption agencies in the south allow g*y couples to adopt? or is it more like none or nearly none?

Answer 1

u can adopt for way cheaper than that price put an add in the paper and internet like u said etc... good luck

Answer 2

there is no cheap way to adopt. Foster care is the cheapest way to go and you can have infants. its just a bit longer process.

Answer 3

You could put an ad in the paper or internet I guess...but that  could be wrong I dont' really know.

either way good luck!

Answer 4

There isn't any real cheap ways to adopt except through the US Foster Care system. Adoptions cost a lot because it's a business. A legal baby brokering system. Lots of legal fees, country fees and agency fees. g*y couples are not allowed to adopt internationally. I haven't heard of one international country that allows for foreign adoptions that allows g**s to adopt. I think your best bet is putting an ad in the paper and hoping that someone will give their baby to you. The world is still very against g**s adopting any healthy child unless they are willing to shell out that dinero. Sorry, it's just the world we live in.

Answer 5

International adoptions are NOT cheaper than domestic...you have to travel to and from.

Adopting through foster care is really the only "cheaper" way to adopt.....but since it is "out of the question."

g*y shouldn't be an issue, but your attitude might be.  I don't know you, I'm not going to judge you but...

You appear to want the cheapest route to a white baby.

You may be able to take easier advantage of a woman without an agency, but you'll still have to pay an attorney.

I'd go through a reputable agency myself...but first I'd examine my motives for adoption.

Answer 6

Well first off, I think that if you do find a cheaper place to adopt, whether it's abroad or not, then it's probably a scam. I've seen a news story about this. It's not pretty either.

Then, if you put something in a paper, like in that movie, then the people that are wanting to adopt may not be good parents, they may be those weirdos that want to do bad stuff to kids.

Then, it's probably none or nearly no adoption agency in the south won't let g*y couples adopt. I live in GA, but I'm not 100% sure on this maybe abouy 90%. But I hate it when they won't let g**s adopt, they'd be just as good a parents as anyone else. I'm not g*y, my bestfriend is, and I think he'd make a great parent.

Hope I helped!!

Answer 7

I recently had a really interesting lessons in adoption (we were trying to adopt two little sisters together)

We went through a Church service program (they knew we weren't church members or even members of another church) but they ran a program here in Arizona that works with the County and it is for foster children and adoption... It might be worth it in your area to check out the local organizations to see if they assist with adoptions...They were going to handle the adoptions and everything...and in our situation these girls were already in the foster care system, but the girls would have been provided with their own lawyers and all legal fees were to have been paid for by the system.  We were approved and background checks completed before I deal fell apart - the girls never did get placed together sadly but hopefully thiscan help you look in another direction.  Good luck to you, and yes I do believe they would allow g*y couples to adopt... But again, in your area its best to contact the Foster care system and ask them the different organizations that help people to adopt.  They should get you steered in the right direction, and I wouldn't worry about your sexuality in this...I think in this day and age they will overlook it.  Thank god its 2008!

Answer 8

Okay, I think you've been jumped on enough. Not that I don't agree with them, actually I do (especially about that nasty foreign wombs bit), but I can't think of anything to say along those lines that hasn't been said.

So here's my thoughts on what would be "cheaper":

Option 1: Foster adoption actually can be from infancy or birth. Many times, sadly, a mother who has already had children removed from her care gets pregnant again. Those babies are often available for adoption as babies. They likely did not have "optimum uterine environment" though. And the foster care system in most states will allow g**s to adopt (many times only one does the intial adoption and then usually the partner can do a "stepparent" adoption). BUT they might not let YOU adopt, or at least not until you do a LOT of learning about this.

Option 2: Find a nice L*****n couple. Buy a duplex. And one of you make a baby with one of them (with or without artifical insemination). Then you can all coparent and the child will have 4 loving parents. And s/he will know s/he is loved.

But still, grow up a little first, okay?

Answer 9

If you want a Legal Adoption then you have to pay the price

If you want a *white* baby then you have to pay the price

And because of your sttatus you will definitely be behind the 8 ball.

After all people are stll prejudiced arent they ?

I really can not believe that someone who is up again prejudice ALL The time would make a statement that they "dont like the idea of international adoption"

ETA..QUOTE "but because i would want the best environment for my child while he or she in utero" UNQUOTE

What do you mean by that then ? how can anyone not take offence to that ?

Answer 10

I don't know about the south in general, but in Florida it is against the law for homosexual couples to adopt.

What's the problem with foster care?  If you go into it asking that only infants be placed with you, you will eventually find yourself in the position of getting to adopt a child that you've raised from infancy.  And the state will pay all of the legal costs involved.  So, it is definitely the cheapest way to go.  

It is risky since you won't know whether you'll get to keep the child who's placed with you, but that risk exists in other adoptions, too, since the birth parent has time to change their mind.  It is emotionally difficult to be uncertain as to the final outcome, that's the hardest part, imo.  But most states have a foster option that's called foster-to-adopt or "legal risk adoption" where the state tries to place children with you whom you are likely to be able to adopt.  And if you can be a stay-at-home parent, in these days when most people work outside the home, you may find it fairly easy to get an infant through the foster care system--at least that seems to be the case in our area.

Ads in the paper may or may not be cheaper.  I think they'd be riskier.  You'd be more likely to lose all the money and have to start over again.

Answer 11

there's no such thing as a cheap adoption they look at fincial records to see if you can afford it. open adoptions are still done by adoption agency's and you still have to pay those are actually more money because you have to pay for the medical bills and hospital visits. i'm not sure how adoption agencies feel about g*y couples i know that they are legally allowed.

Answer 12

There is really no way to make a domestic adoption cheaper.  But you COULD focus on fund raising to help pay for your adoption!   Start a savings account for this purpose.  Have a yard sale.  Sell stuff on eBay.    Have a basket raffle - get a few of your close friends or family members to donate some cool baskets of stuff......a movie basket, a chocolate basket, etc.  Then, raffle them off.  You would be amazed at how much money you can make from this.   We raised $4,000 for charity at our bank Christmas party last year! Or, if you have something valuable that you really don't need, raffle it off.  

You can also cut back on your existing expenses, and put that money in your adoption fund.   Instead of stopping at Starbucks every morning, put that $4.00 in your adoption account.  That's $20 a week, $80 a month, $960 a year!  Bring lunch from home, and do the same with your lunch money.   Instead of going to the gym, start running in your neighborhood, and save $30-$40 a month.  

Before you know it, you will have saved enough money to adopt twins!

Incidentally, adoption agencies are not supposed to discriminate against their clients on the basis of sexual preference.  If you approach an agency which does not want to help you, there are a zillion other agencies out there.  And you do not need to use an agency from your state......you just need an in-state social worker for your home study.

Answer 13

i dont know about you question,but i just wanted to say goodluck in addopting a child.  Their are so many kids out their that need a good home and loveing environment.

Answer 14

Finding a birth mother is the hardest part of adoption.  After that, the home study, and the attorney's fees.  I looked up questions from many home studies in my state, basically answered them and had them typed and ready to go when the social worker got to the house.  I also took measurements of each room before, and had a copy of the assessor's square footage for the house, so there wasn't a need for the worker to spend a lot of time with us.  She made 2 trips before the baby was born, and will make 1 more according to our state laws.  The homestudy costs $350.00.  The attorney's fees were $500.00, and we paid $125.00 court costs, and $75.00 for paperwork fees.  We also invited the birth mother to live with us, which she did, and the utilities and groceries went up a little, and we let her use our car and paid her cell phone bill.  Really, the baby is more expensive than she was (and he is sooooooo worth it!!!!!!).  We were lucky enough to be introduced by a friend to the birth mother.  Agency fees seem to be a rip off to me.

Answer 15

The only way to do a "cheap adoption" in your words IS to do it through fostercare!  Yes, you would more than likely get an older child unless you strictly say...I want a baby 6 months or younger.  

Our guidelines were 5 and under and only boys!  We have had three so far and one we are hoping to adopt.  But we also did reunification which is obviously not what you want to do.

Answer 16

Florida will not allow g*y people to adopt.  They allow people who are g*y to foster...but not adopt.

Answer 17

"i'm not exactly the greatest fan of international adoptions not because i'm racist against people from other countries, but because i would want the best environment for my child while he or she in utero... "

If you want to be in control of the mom's uterus,  that eliminates not just foreign adoption, but adoption through foster care too. I don't know what to tell you then about how to do it for less money.  I'm sure you know that a child can come out of the best uterus ever and still have problems. A child can have no prenatal care at all and be healthy, beautiful, and brilliant.

As far as whether or not adoption agencies are willing to work with g*y couples,  you really have to look up the law in your state. "The South" isn't enough to go on. In some states g*y people can adopt as a couple. It's not an issue.  In some states, only one partner is allowed to adopt - as a single parent.  The other partner gets papers making him/her a legal guardian.  In some states, you can't adopt at all if you tell them you are g*y.  Agencies will be restricted by the laws in their state (or by their religious affiliation, as with some of the less expensive agencies).

Answer 18

You are racist against other countries?  Sounds like a great role model for kids.  

Nonetheless the only way to go with limited expenses is foster care adoption.

Answer 19

Cheaper? Yeah it's expensive to buy someone else's  baby isn't it?

Answer 20

in a nutshell, it's not cheaper than 20-30 thousand or more, unless you are into illegal adoptions and human trafficking.

i am an adoptee and lived in the south for 15 years.  agencies don't care who you sleep with.  (g*y/straight)

Answer 21

Adoption can be expensive you need to really do research. There are many agencies out there that can help you and each agency is a bit different you need to make sure the agency you choose offers you what is important to you.

FIRST you need a homestudy done by a licensed agency or social worker in the state in which you reside in so that will be your first fee. You can adopt if you are g*y you just can't adopt as a couple it has to be a single parent adoption.

Second you have to look into adoption agencies, attorneys, etc..

I recommend you go with an adoption agency they have social workers who counsel with the birthmothers on a weekly basis and watch over them which helps on knowing that your birthmother is getting prenatal care or it just helps you be informed on the situation you will be receiving.

You also have to keep in mind that many attorneys and adoption agencies assist birthmothers with financial assistance that the adoptive family will cover you want to ask when doing your research how they monitor the spending and how they can make sure that they are truly helping the birthmother with the assistance she needs. Also birthmother expenses are not included in the fee you pay the agency.

You also have to research how much finalization of your adoption will cost you. Some agencies help you out with finalization but many times you need to retain an attorney for their services you want to ask local agencies who they recommend for finalization and call around & get pricing.

There are many places that help with affording adoption do as much research as you can. Try going to www.affordingadoption.com also look into the adoption tax credit.

I hope this helps. Don't give up!!

Answer 22

Life is not like the movies.  Juno is a story written by a person who has absolutely no direct experience with adoption whatsoever.  It's just a story she made up.  NOT REAL.

Babies are not commodities.  There are no bluelight specials at KMART.  There is no baby store or baby factory that mass markets kids.  

I know this might sound a little shocking but babies...they come from real live people!!!

Please, if you are really considering adopting one day, research every aspect.  Research why those adoptions cost so darn much.  Research where your money is going and whether the agency you use is practicing ethically.  Research the psychological effects of relinquishment on the fresh newborn you are seeking.  Research the psychological ramifications for mothers who relinquish because I can assure you, most of them are not nor will ever be Juno.

And most importantly, please take the time to research why it is offensive to come on an adoption board and ask where you can get a cheap bargain basement adoption.

Answer 23

Inexpensive way to adopt = foster care.

Since you don't want to go that route, it looks like you aren't going to be able to adopt "cheaply." (Lovely way to put it, by the way.)  :(

If you were straight, my advice would be to have biological children. Since that isn't likely given that you're g*y (at least I assume you are, based on your post), you could always consider a surrogate. That isn't cheap either though. Too bad for you.

Answer 24

Please don't rule out foster care simply because you want an infant.  There are infants that are placed into foster care also.  Our son was actually in kinship care (through the state) before we adopted him.  We met him at the age of 3 months and brought him home at 6 months.  Friends of ours also adopted an infant from foster care, so it is possible.

Private adoptions "sometimes" can cost less than an agency adoption.  However, that is not always the case.  

The thing to remember when considering the finances associated with adoption is that many of the fees are necessary to protect the children from going to abusive homes.   It is also not *due* all at once.  It usually is spread out over a timespan which makes it somewhat easier to handle financially.  For us, our adoption expenses were spread out over 2 years from start to finish.  

Please be careful regarding placing an ad in the newspaper or on the internet.  Many states have very strict regulations on how you may find a biological family.  It would be horrible if you go through the process only to have a judge deny the finalization because it violated the state regulations.  You may even want to contact a local reputable agency to determine what is allowed in your particular state.

Good luck to you and your partner.   Adoption is an amazing journey that may seem like a financial hardship, but for us, if the fees we paid helped to protect just one child from ending up in a bad home, then it was worth every penny for us.

Answer 25

I always worry when someone is so concerned about the Cost of adoption.... after all that isn't anything compared to the cost of raising a child...

Because, most people want a baby they are more difficult to find for adoptive parents.... It seems the 120,000 waiting in foster care that can be adopted for free can't seem to give people the smelly diapers and spit up so they get skipped...

As for same s*x adoptions I believe that in many cases it is the mother of the new born who has a role to play in selecting the adoptive parents for her new born.... So I would assume that you would need to find a mother who picked the same s*x parents for her child..... I am not sure the Agencies even need to make these kinds of policies as most often the mother makes the choice....