“I would adopt if it weren’t so expensive.”
The amount of times I’ve heard this statement is uncountable. I get it: the high fees surrounding domestic infant and international adoption are overwhelming. There is a lot of talk about ethics in the adoption world.
Adoption is expensive. The average domestic infant adoption in the United States is $25,000-$45,000. International adoptions cost more because you throw in traveling internationally. It’s staggering.
The reality is, adoption is expensive because of many reasons; it is a costly event where valuable and precious lives are being dealt with. Agencies that are able to offer adoption for less than the normal fee-amount are often nonprofits receiving their funding from donors – the cost is actually the same, it is simply paid by someone other than the adoptive parents.
Agency fees include marketing (making themselves known to expectant mamas who are pursuing their options as well as adoptive families), required reports (home studies, pre and post placement visits), administration fees, and paying employees. And of course, expectant parent and birth parent care in the way of counseling both before and after the birth; there are so many aspects to this. Don’t forget medical expenses, legal fees, and more.
Before I lose you, let’s talk about adopting without debt. How can this be a reality for anyone that makes less than $100k a year? It can be! Many middle-class, average families adopt without debt. It is extremely rare for families to begin the adoption process with even half of the necessary funds.
Adoption is worth the cost. Let’s explore various ways to adopt without debt.
