Can I Afford to Adopt a Child?

 Posted on August 18, 2015 in Family Law

With a very wide array of adoption routes to take, exploring the idea of adopting a child can seem daunting. Adopting a child is a wonderful decision and can bring immense happiness to parents and the child. Many hopeful parents considering adoption fear the high costs commonly associated with the process. While it is true that certain routes to adoption cost more than others, every adoption does not have to be expensive. Illinois residents looking to adopt may be surprised to discover that not all adoption methods cost thousands of dollars.

There are different types of adoption that each have varying degrees of costs associated with them. As one would imagine, adopting infants typically is much more expensive than adopting a child in foster care or a child under the care of another state agency. In the United States, there are more hopeful parents waiting to adopt infants than there are infants available to adopt. Many would-be adoptive parents work with agencies to locate available infants, and these agencies can be costly. Adoption agencies can set strict acceptance criteria and can charge high rates for home studies, counseling, and medical expenses. Choosing to adopt through an adoption agency can often range from $20,000 to $40,000.