Single parent adoption - approximate costs?

Question

A dear friend of mine found out today that she will not be able to have children. She is devastated. She had been going through the donor insemination process. She thinks in order to adopt - the cost will be around $40,000-$50,000. I find that to be extremely high and wanted to ask others. She is interested in a baby. She is also single and makes around $80,000 in Boston per year on her own. Will a Christian agency even give her any attention being single and all?

Answer 1

Well a friend of mine who is single recently adopted a baby girl from guatemala.  I am not sure how much it cost, but I know that my friend only makes about 40,000 per year and was able to still get a baby.  Guatemala is the cheapest place to adopt from.

Answer 2

Id say you split the cost! You take it half a year she takes it the other!

Answer 3

Your friend definately has options. I am single and have adopted. The costs were less than $18000 but that was with China which is now closed to singles but there are other international options available as well as through her local Child Protective Services at very little costs.

As for a Christian agency, yes, they will work with her within the bounds of the various country requirements. Some will not for domestic adoptions but most will.

You friend has nothing to worry about. If she has a will to adopt and she does not have a criminal history, she can do it.

Answer 4

The average cost to adopt an infant is between $10,000 and $15,000 with the price dropping as low as $5,000 in some cases and rising as high as $40,000 in others.

• Adoption agencies - $4,000 to $40,000. Usually includes all legal work, birth costs, home study and application, counseling, pre-adoption education and post-adoption care.

• Private adoptions - $8,000 to $40,000. This isn’t allowed in every state due to the possibility for fraud but where it is allowed the money saved on agency overhead is spent on advertising, medical costs and legal fees.

What is the Process for Adopting a Baby?

Adopting a newborn is step-by-step process:

1. Choose between an unlicensed adoption facilitator or agency, attorney and/or licensed adoption agency.

2. Fill out the paperwork. Documentation such as you and your partner’s birth certificates, social security card, picture identification, marriage license, tax return, and financial statement will be needed as well as a valid TB test and fingerprinting.

3. Undergo a home study. More documentation will need to be procured upon request.

4. Education and counseling. The period between your acceptance as an appropriate parent and the homecoming of your baby can be long and uneventful. It is recommended the prospective parents stay hooked into the process with pre-adoption classes, counseling, and support groups.

5. Wait. Until your new baby is born and the final papers are drawn up, it’s all that prospective parents can do.

6. Welcome your new baby.

Answer 5

O.K.  First, she needs to let the news about fertiity sink in, and deal with and accept that first.  THAT is the first step to adoption for infertile individuals or couples.  If not, they will bring that to the table when they adopt, and then the child will have to deal with their unresolved fertility issues.  Suggest a support grop for her:  "RESOLVE".  There are chapters all over the country, and there will be one near her.  They are excellent, and will offer her support, information, referrals, and education, including adoption info.

Then, when she is ready to adopt, she can look into several kinds of adoption:

Private through an agency or attorney:  Cost is 10K to 45K.  Depends on the types of situations she is open to, the specific services the agency provides for the birthmother (Is it housing and all living expenses for 10 months, or just information?).

Public agency, such as through Children's Protective Services or agencies who contract with them, who might have sliding scales for the fees for adoption.  Those fees will range from 2K to ??  BUT, through a public agency, everyone and his brother want to adopt a healthy infant for next to no money.  So the likelihood in many cases is slim.  

There is also foster/adopt through public agencies, which may be risky, because the state or county may place an infant in your home/family, but you risk the baby being returned to a family member rather than be adopted by you!  

There's also private adoption through networking on your own -- through your church, newspaper ads, doctors, etc.  The services you provide for your birthmother depend on the state you live in.  In some states it is illegal to pay for anything but her medical bills.  Keep in mind, she needs and deserves competant counseling, paid for by you!  This is what most private adopters leave out.  They say --we offered it to her, but she declined,  Yes, that is the biggest problem with private adoptions.  With an agency, she is getting counseling no matter what.  You also risk loosing ALL your fee if she decides to parent in private adoption.  With an agency, they usually just place another baby with you, and you do not loose your fee. (Depends on the agency!)

Well, I hope that helps!  Single adoption is so possible!

But one question, why is she wanting to go through a Christian adoption agency?  The baby is not Christian!  Consider all agencies, and choose on based on their ethics, reputation, and how much counseling and availability they have.  Call after hours and see who answers the phone!  Machine, service, or real person?  This is what your birthmother will be getting!

Good luck!

Answer 6

The cost will vary from free to $50,000, depending on where she adopts from.

She can call a variety of agencies. They will charge a high price, however.

She could become a foster parent and apply with CPS to adopt. There may be no fee.

Look in the yellow pages of a city phone book for adoption agencies. Also, look online, at adoption websites. From there, she can contact the adoption agencies for information.

Answer 7

Most faith ran agencies refuse to place with single parents.  As an adoptive parent, the price you quoted is accurate for a new born or at least it was fifteen years ago,  I would imagine the cost has changes since.

Answer 8

Although some private domestic adoptions are in the price range you mentioned, most are much less expensive, and fees start around $20,000. There are many agencies that allow for singles to adopt, she'll just need to call around. Most private domestic adoptions involve being place with newborn.

Adopting from the foster-care system probably isn't her best choice if she wants to adopt a baby. Most of the children are older, and the very young children in foster care are either there temporarily, or will be placed in care until it is decided if parental rights will be severed, whichcan take a while, and there's a good chance they will be reunited with family.

We adopted our children internationally, and I know the following countries allow singles to adopt;

Ethiopia, Haiti, Guatemala, Philipines, Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, and I think there are a few more. That cost for international adoption usually ranges from $15,000- $30,000. Both of our adoptions had fees less then $20,000. There are babies available, they're usually at least 6 months old when place with adoptive family.

She should also know that their is an tax credit of over $11,000 that she can use once the adoption is finalized.

Answer 9

She can adopt through the US Foster Care system, where the cost is little or nothing.

A private adoption in the United States is quite expensive, but I do not think it is usually as much as she guestimates (although it certainly COULD get that high in some cases).

International adoption is another option.  The cost would be around $20,000 depending on what program (country) she chose to go with.

There are some things to help her save-after the adoption is finalized, she can get an adoption tax credit (I think it is around $11,000 this year) to reimburse for some of the expenses incurred.  Not all of the fees are due at one time, either, and so it would not be something she had to pay all at once-she would pay as they are incurred.

Good luck to her!