Whether you’re a woman considering adoption for her child or a family considering growing through adoption, it’s understandable that the financial aspects of the process may be on your mind. Adoption can be overwhelming at the start, especially when you consider the services required for a safe and ethical journey. It’s no wonder some of the most common questions we receive are about adoption costs — and if free adoptions are a thing.

Whether you’re a prospective birth mother wondering, “Is adoption free?” or an adoptive family hoping to adopt a child for free, this article will address who pays for what in an adoption situation — and why. Remember: You can always contact our trained specialists to learn more.

Free Adoption for Prospective Birth Mothers

If you’re a pregnant woman wondering, “Is adoption free?” the answer, for you, is always yes.

In no circumstance will it ever cost a woman any money to place her child for adoption. Not only are you putting your body through the physical strain of having a child, but you’re also going to be grappling with many emotions as you pursue your adoption plan.

Adoption isn’t easy; this is why adoption laws allow for pregnant women to pursue free adoption for newborn babies. 

In addition to allowing a pregnant woman to place a newborn baby for adoption for free, adoption laws state that adoptive families can cover adoption costs. While different states have different laws regarding the regulation of adoption expenses, most prospective birth mothers are eligible to receive adoption financial assistance in the form of:

• Any medical expenses not covered by insurance, which your adoption professional will ensure you have access to, both during your pregnancy and frequently for a time period after giving birth
• Legal fees for an attorney who will be able to make sure you completely understand everything that’s happening in the adoption
• Round-the-clock counseling services
• Pregnancy-related living expenses, such as rent, utilities, cell phone bills, transportation, groceries, maternity clothing, etc.
• And more

Adoption will be taxing enough for you as it is; in no circumstance should you ever be financially penalized for choosing a better life for your child.

Furthermore, future correspondence between a birth mother, her child and the adopting family is also free for the birth mother. Yes, that’s right — open adoption is free, and your adoption professional will guide you through this lifelong journey at no cost.

Postage and handling for letters and pictures is often built into the adoptive family’s overall cost of the adoption, so the birth mother will never have to pay to stay in touch with the family and her child. This is, of course, if you choose to maintain contact via letters and mail; you can also exchange phone calls, video chats, and even in-person visits with your child and their family if you choose!

For more information on placing an infant for adoption for free and the financial assistance our agency provides, please contact us today.

Is Adoption Free for Adoptive Families?

I want to adopt a baby for free.

Can you adopt for free?

Adoption should be free. Why is it so expensive to start my family?

If you’ve had these thoughts as a hopeful parent, you’re certainly not alone. It’s no secret that adoption can be expensive, and many families have wondered how to adopt a baby for free.

Because of all of the various services required, in addition to providing financial assistance for the prospective birth mother, an infant adoption can cost tens of thousands of dollars. An adoptive family will be responsible for covering these costs, which unfortunately means that free adoptions for infants are not an option.

If you are pursuing a private domestic adoption, which means that you are adopting a newborn from within the United States, you’ll have to pay for the following services:

• Counseling and educational support to prepare for adoption
• Orientation and meetings
• Coordination of the entire adoption process
• A home study
• Hospital documentation and organization of medical records
• Case management services
• Post-adoption support
• And more

In addition, you’ll be responsible for providing the financial assistance for a prospective birth mother listed in the first section of this article, as well as advertising services to find prospective birth mothers.

All of these costs may seem overwhelming at first, and we completely understand. So much goes into an adoption that affording it can seem difficult for many families.

In fact, in an effort to save money, some hopeful parents turn to the internet in search of free infant adoption classifieds. By foregoing an adoption professional’s services, these families hope to adopt a baby for free online — but this is extremely risky and ill-advised. Searching for free adoption opportunities online can put you at risk for adoption fraud, and if you do not work closely with an adoption attorney throughout the process, it could result in serious legal consequences.

If you are concerned about how to pay for an adoption, we recommend that you look into options like the following:

• The Federal Adoption Tax Credit
• Adoption loans and grants
• Employer adoption benefits
• Fundraising

When Is Adopting a Child Free?

If you are still wondering how to adopt a baby for free, it should be noted that there’s a different form of adoption that is typically more cost-effective: adoption from the foster care system.

While it is rare to adopt a baby for free from foster care, there are numerous older children or children with special needs who need permanent and loving homes in any given state. In most cases, this adoption costs very little — very rarely will these costs exceed $1,000, and this is an estimate that includes home study fees as well as legal costs.

Foster care adoption is cheaper because it involves fewer adoption services, and the state is already taking care of these children whose parents have lost their guardianship rights. Prospective adoptive parents should keep in mind that it is rare to adopt a newborn baby for free through foster care; it is much more likely they will adopt a child anywhere between 3 to 18 years old.

For more information about private domestic vs. foster care adoption and the costs associated with each, request free information online.

It can be intimidating to learn that not only is a “free” newborn adoption not necessarily a possibility, but that any kind of adoption will come with a price tag. However, it’s important that you be able to comfortably afford the necessary services that accompany an adoption, both for the prospective birth mother’s sake as well as your child’s.

To learn more about how to afford an adoption, please contact American Adoptions today.

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