FACTSHEET FOR FAMILIES February 2011 Disponible en español www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/ s_costsp/index.cfm Costs of Adopting Prospective adoptive parents may be concerned about the costs of adopting a child and their ability What’s Inside: to meet those costs. Becoming a parent is rarely free of expenses—pregnancy and childbirth can • Universal expenses be expensive and even more so without adequate • Adoption-specific expenses insurance—and adoptive parents may be faced • Resources to help defray adoption costs with initial costs that seem challenging. However, • Additional resources with planning and knowledge about the different types of adoptions and available resources, they Child Welfare Information Gateway Children’s Bureau/ACYF U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 1250 Maryland Avenue, SW Administration for Children and Families Eighth Floor Washington, DC 20024 Administration on Children, Youth and Families 800.394.3366 Children’s Bureau Email:
[email protected] www.childwelfare.gov Costs of Adopting www.childwelfare.gov can develop a budget to include most of the the total costs may be much less than the foreseeable expenses. This factsheet explains maximum figures cited here; resources may these expenses so that prospective adoptive also be available to help offset all or many parents can make informed decisions costs. These are discussed at the end of this throughout the adoption process. factsheet. Costs of adopting may be minimal or can Breaking down the total cost into total more than $40,000, depending on a categorized expenses helps prospective number of factors. The chart below outlines parents understand what is involved and some general categories of adoption and how to determine a predictable range for costs associated with the services provided.