Before Your Child Comes Home

Adoption Fees

This broad, sometimes loosely defined term is used for the various costs of working with a public or private adoption agency, or with an attorney or other intermediary. The adoption fee should include the costs of doing a home study, pre-adoptive counseling, identifying a child for your family, placement fees, and post-placement visits. For an independent adoption, the birth mother's living and delivery expenses may be included or may be separate expenses. For an international adoption, the adoption fee may or may not include the costs of visas, dossier preparation, document translation, and other expenses unique to adopting children from other countries. Adoptions of waiting children through state or county agencies may incur only minimal costs and often are free of charge.

Fees charged by private adoption agencies and intermediaries can run from $5,000 to as high as $25,000, and possibly more. BE SURE you understand which services in the adoption process are included and which may be separate or additional fees.

MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES

During the adoption process, activities will arise that will result in out-of-pocket expenses. Although these costs usually are minor, it's best to be prepared for them. For example, consider the costs related to the following possible activities: