Adoption can be a very beautiful thing but one has to pay huge money for it. Many people might be wondering why is adoption so expensive?
If you’re one of them, you will get your answer in the article.
What is Adoption?
Adoption is taking someone else’s child through a legal process and bringing it up. The adoptive parents thereafter take full control and responsibility for the child just like his/her biological child.
Although this seems like a noble task, which it indeed is, one has to often adopt large amounts of money to legally adopt a child. This is because there are a number of additional fees involved in the process such as attorney fees, agency fees, medical costs, etc.
This article gives a brief idea about all such information that one might require in regards to adoption.
Things you need to know about adoption
1. Love is not always enough
This might sound very harsh but a lot of times we go into a relationship with other people, believing that if we just love them enough, we can heal them. Some situations love isn’t just enough to cover. You need counseling, therapy, and help. Just remember that these kids have been through things and traumas that most of us can’t wrap our heads around. So if you need professional help that is completely fine.
2. Adoption is born from lost
We talk so much about the beauty of adoption and it is beautiful. But it is so important to always realize that there is some kind of loss at the root of it. A child is losing their biological family and in some cases losing their birth country. And understanding that it is a loss and there will be issues that will arise from that loss is very important. We should realize that as fully as we can and give much respect to that piece of the puzzle. That helps make one a better adoptive parent.
3. At times you have to fight for your child
You have to fight for lots of different things if needed for the child and family. For instance, fighting for the family’s privacy, and the child’s privacy. There will be well-known family members who want to know more and ask more questions. So protecting your child’s story is very tough.
Ways to adopt a child
1. Adopt a newborn baby domestically
Newborn adoptions are usually semi-open or open adoptions. Meaning, that the person who is adopting a child and the adopted child will still have contact with the birth parent throughout the child’s life.
2. International adoption
International adoption is adopting a child from another country. These types of adoptions are generally closed because having contacts in another country is very rare. If one has to adopt internationally, the child would probably be older or have some sort of special need.
Adoption process
One can adopt a child privately or through an agency. Sometimes a birth mom looks through the agency and tries to find a family for the child. The one who needs to adopt a child can create a book with all their information and submit the book to the agency. And the birth parents go through those books and choose the family or person to adopt their kid.
Why is adoption so expensive?
Newborn adoptions are generally pretty expensive. If you are connected with the family, you can get around the costs.
1. Huge attorney fees
Since adoption is the practice in a legal process, one has to hire an attorney. Many times people who want to adopt don’t have all the necessary knowledge required for the process. So, attorneys do most of their work by collecting documents and guiding them in every single step. So, they charge a lot of money.
2. Counseling fees
Another reason for you to spend a huge price while adopting a child is counseling fees. Choosing the right child to adopt is not as easy as it seems. It is a whole process in itself. And one cannot afford to make any mistake when choosing the right child. Otherwise, it will affect you as well as the child’s life. So, to get ready for the adoption journey, a counselor is a must. And they cost a lot as well.
3. Agencies fees
Many people prefer to get help from an agency to find a family who wants to give their child up for adoption. And for this, there is again another fee that one has to pay because those kinds of agencies are for-profit organizations. There are different types of agencies from which one can choose.
4. Medical cost
In case someone wants to adopt a newborn baby, they often work with expected mothers. In many cases, the adoptive parents are required to cover the medical expenses of the birth mother as well as the entire birth process. And the average cost of having a baby is anywhere between $4500 to $10,000 in the United States.
5. Insurance fees
As adoptive parents, they are responsible for taking out insurance for the child. And insurance these days is very expensive. One cannot skip taking insurance for the child since it is very crucial for the child’s medical needs.
6. Travel, Visa, and immigration fees
To adopt a child from another country, there are additional expenses that one has to pay such as travel, visa, and immigration. Often the birth parents want the adoptive parents to visit their country to understand the child’s life better. And also to know their child’s future parents better. After all, they are sending their child to another country. So, you need to shoulder all your expense of visiting another country along with the child’s visa and immigration fees.
Conclusion
Adopting a child is the most beautiful thing but not a very affordable thing. One has to be financially stable enough to pay money for adoption. There are so many different criteria that one has to go through and for that, it costs a lot. For instance, attorney fees, counseling fees, agency fees, etc. So if you had a doubt about the expenses for adoption before, hopefully after reading this article it got cleared.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long does it take to adopt a child?
If you want to adopt a healthy child internationally, your wait could be anywhere from 2 to 7 years. For domestic adoption, it may take 2 months or 2 years.
2. How much does it costs to adopt a child?
For most people that adopt an infant domestically or internationally, the average cost is $20,000 to $40,000.
3. What is the cheapest way to adopt a child?
One of the great ways to make adoption a bit affordable is by adopting a child from foster care.
4. Can one choose what age child to adopt?
Yes, the adoptive parents have full freedom in choosing what age child to adopt.
