When considering starting or expanding your family, many will look into the route of adoption. However, a common fear that surrounds such a process is the amount of money it may cost to begin and finalize such an adoption with the courts and adoption agencies. If you are considering adoption in order to begin your parenthood journey, discuss with your Florida Adoption Attorney the costs that may be associated with the adoption process.
There are many forms of adoption however, the two that will be covered here are foster care adoption and private agency adoption. Foster care adoption is when parents adopt a child who is within the Department of Child and Families care. There are almost 1000 children in foster care that are eligible to be adopted in Florida. If you are adopting a child from Florida’s foster care program, your costs are little or nothing in most cases. The state requires certain parenting classes and home studies to be conducted prior to adoption, however, these are done free of charge. Further, when entering the legal transfer of custody in the court system, the court costs may be paid by the department if you and your family are unable to afford them. However, these court costs are typically no more than $400. Another cost saving option provided by foster care adoption, although not a present benefit, is the eligibility of children adopted from foster care to be granted free tuition to any Florida state university, college, or vocational school.
However, many couples do pursue adoption through private agencies. These adoptions can cost anywhere from $4000 to $30,000. These costs may go towards birth mother expenses such as cost of living, medical costs, counseling, or travel; court costs, and the agencies’ attorney fees; home studies, and other clerical work to be performed by the agency. These costs can tend to add up, and couples may not be able to withdraw $30,000 from their bank accounts right away to afford these payments. Therefore, some look into alternative options to afford these costs.
One option is to apply for an adoption grant. These grants are awarded by many different organizations, but some do limit their awards to only certain qualifying individuals. For instance, God’s Grace Adoption Ministry and 4ever Families Foundation offers grants to two parent, Christian families. However, there are other organizations that do not have qualifications that you may also apply for, such as National Adoption Foundation, Gift of Adoption Fund, A Child Waits, Helpusadopt.org, or The Buescher Foundation. These grants can range anywhere from $1,000 to $15,000 depending upon the organization and your need. The biggest draw to these grants is that there is no need to pay back the money received.
If you are unable to receive a grant, some couples may apply for adoption loans. These can be drawn from any bank just as any other loan. However, these loans will need to be paid back with interest. If you are needing to finance your adoption plan be sure to look into many different loan options to ensure you are receiving the best deal, to place your family in a secure financial position.
Adoption can be one of the best decisions you will make for you and your family. Therefore, do not let the fear of the monetary unknowns hold you back from such an exciting and joyous process. Discuss your fears and concerns with your Florida Adoption Attorney to alleviate some of the fears and questions you may have.
Speaking to an attorney at our Florida office is free of charge, and we accept calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Contact us at 850-307-5211 or complete an online contact form to get in touch with a member of our team today.