Costs of Adoption FAQ

Adoptions can cost a bundle. These questions and answers help you weigh the financial aspects of different types of adoptions.

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Are agency adoptions very expensive?

What are the costs involved in an independent adoption?

They certainly can be. Agencies charge fees to cover the birthmother's expenses as allowed by state law; these expenses may include medical expenses, living expenses during the pregnancy and counseling. Add to this the agency's staff salaries and overhead -- and charges can mount up quickly.

Many agencies charge a flat fee for adoptions, while others add the birthmother's expenses to a fixed rate for the agency's services. Some agencies use a sliding scale which varies with adoptive parents' income levels, usually with a set minimum and maximum fee. You can expect to pay between $1,000 and $6,000 to adopt a young child, and $10,000 or more to adopt a newborn. Some agencies charge a lower rate for handling special needs adoptions.

Public agencies generally do not charge fees for placing children in adoptive homes.

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Because each situation is unique, fees for independent adoptions vary widely. Prospective parents must generally cover the costs of finding a birthmother, all costs related to the pregnancy and birth, and the costs involved in the legal adoption process. Some states allow the birthmother's living expenses during the pregnancy to be covered as well. Items such as hospital bills, travel expenses, phone bills, home study costs, attorney's fees and court costs can often surpass $10,000.

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