After making the big decision to grow your family through adoption, the next step is how your family will handle all of the expenses associated with the adoption. For many families, one of the main barriers to adoption is finances. Thankfully there are many options and avenues one can take to help offset expenses directly associated with the adoption process.
1. Grants from Foundations and Non-Profit Organizations. There is a plethora of organizations that offer adoption grants to adoptive families to cover costs associated with their child’s adoption. Most of these grants are for amounts between $3,000 and $7,000 which puts a substantial dent in the total out-of-pocket costs for any family. Similar to educational scholarships, many of these grants are based on need and are given to specific demographics. There are grants specifically for teachers looking into adoption, military families, and those of certain faiths, among others. Some grants are for domestic private adoptions, others for adoptions from foster care, and some specifically for intercountry adoptions completed through certain country programs. There is plenty of information on the specific options available through a simple search on the Child Welfare Information Gateway website.
2. Grants through your Employer Corporations today are looking for the best talent to make up their teams. At my company, a nationwide network of private investigators, we provide specific adoption benefits for our employees. We help adoptees every day through our work, so it just makes sense to put money behind our internal values. We offer assistance to our staff who choose to adopt and for many on our team the associated benefits have led them to consider the option of growing their family through adoption. Ask your employer or your partner’s employer whether they have adoption benefits. Often it can be in the form of a matching grant program or a straight financial benefit to help with the associated costs.
3. Government Adoption Tax Credit Since its inception in 1997, the adoption tax credit has made adoption a more viable option for many families. The adoption tax credit was a refundable credit in 2010 and 2011, but in 2013 it was permanently made nonrefundable. The lack of refundability hurts lower and middle income families the most. Being nonrefundable means it is limited to your tax liability for the year. The maximum amount for 2015 is $13,400 per child.
4. Military Subsidies The U.S. Department of Defense has an adoption reimbursement program for qualified military families. The benefits include up to $2,000 reimbursed for adoption expenses. It also includes up to 21 days of adoption leave to bond with your new child and health care once child is adopted. More information can be found here.
Are you ready to adopt a baby? If you’re interested in domestic infant adoption, click here to connect with a caring, competent adoption professional who can help you get started on your adoption journey.
