What were your charges with your adoption agency?

Question

I can think of many instances with our adoption. We did a private adoption

- FAX= $15 each

- PHONE CONSULT= $160hr (15min. minimum per call)

- TRAVEL TIME TO OUR HOME= $300hr

- APPLICATION 1 PAGE (non-refundable)= $500

- HOME VISIT= $300hr

- CLASSES = $1,500 ea

- BP counceling= $800ea.

-COPY OF H.S. TO LAWER/COURT= $25EA

- ATTORNEY= $3,000

- 2ND SAFETY INSPECTION= $200 ( before the first inspection I asked if there was anything special to do with the pool, they said they would check it out and then they inspected and said it needed a separate gate than the yard, would have been go to know earler)

-MEDICAL BILLS=$37,000 (I'm cool with this one)

Just seems they make up their charges and because we did a private adoption they had to itemize each cost. If you ask where the money goes they act like " you can't afford it? If you really wanted a baby, you'll just pay it?

Are these fees outragous and inflated? Where does the money go? Are adoptiove parents at their mercy?

Answer 1

I need more information please. :)

They charged you $500 just to apply?  Would it be refunded if you were rejected?

How many classes were you required to take?  What were the topics of the classes?

ETA:  Wow those classes were pricey!.  And am I the only one who sees a little irony in charging 1500 dollars  for a class on adoption financials?  An accountant would probably charge less money for that.

Heck a class at a state college costs less than that and it's a whole semester long.  And by the way, what were the credentials for the people teaching the classes.  I hope they at least had Masters degrees for the money you were paying for the class.  Otherwise, it doesn't make much sense.

I don't know.  It doesn't sound right to me.

And by the way, I think it's a little telling that you were told not to ask where the money is going.  That sounds off and more than a little absurd.  I can't imagine any other service that would tell you not to ask where your money is going because it might make you look poor.  

That seems...wait for it...unethical.

Answer 2

Our adoption fees were itemized out but I can't remember exactly what they were. Maybe lawyers and other agencies profit extensively off of adoptions but the adoption agency we went through does not. It's a two women operation consisting of a director and a social worker. The director who runs it only brings home a salary of $38000. She lives in a modest house and drives a modest car. They have a little office. Nothing fancy.

She told me the other day that they got in trouble by their licensing rep for helping my son's natural mother too much. It seems to me the government is the problem in their situation.  

I have the utmost respect for them and would never bad mouth them. They only work with a few natural mothers at a time. They are not in the business of coercion and truly love and care for every natural mother who comes to them. They do not actively seek out natural mothers. They do not discount biracial or black children. They require mothers to stay at home for the first 5 years of a child's life.