Making the decision to adopt a child is not a small one, but this is a change that can transform the lives of your family, and the child who you choose to bring into it. There are a huge number of factors to consider when it comes to adopting a child, including the type of adoption, your budget, and the intricate legal considerations. It is crucial that you have an expert on hand to guide you through the process – and that is where we can come in handy, allowing you to make a smart, informed decision and smooth the path to your new family.
Methods of Adoption
In the state of Oregon, there are four different methods of adoption available to you, and each has their own advantages and challenges.
Agency Adoptions
One of the most popular options for an adoption is to go through an agency – for many, these offer much needed peace of mind. All adoption agencies are legally required to be licensed by the DHS, and must meet stringent ethical and professional standards in order to operate. An adoption agency will take care of the entire process for you, from beginning to end, and this includes finding the right mother for you to work with. Adoption agencies will offer a number of services throughout the process, and these include:
- Initial information around adopting
- Ongoing counseling throughout the process
- Support and assistance during the matching process
- Oversight of all expenses and the distribution of funds
- Helping you with all paperwork
- Coordinating with social services
- The finalization of the adoption
One of the downsides of adoption agencies is the fees – these can exceed $40,000, and include the fees of the actual agency, as well as the cost of advertising to find a suitable mother, the expenses of the birth mother, and the legal fees that come with adoption. The cost of the home study will also be included in this – this is a legal requirement for any adoption in which at least one of the birth parents relinquishes their legal parental rights.
Independent Adoption
Another popular option is that of independent adoption, and this can take a number of forms. Independent adoption most commonly occurs when a friend or family member adopts a child, after their parents are no longer able to care for them. Common examples include siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins or close family friends, taking in a child when their parents are no longer able to meet their needs. This tends to be a cheaper option, as there is rarely a need to locate and care for a willing mother – you can expect to pay around $5,000 for legal and filing fees, as well as incidental expenses. A home study will also be required for this type of adoption.
Step-parent adoption is another common form of independent adoption and occurs when one parent remains on the child’s birth certificate, and a second parent – the step-parent – is either added to the certificate or replaces the other parent. As long as the other parent is in agreement, most step-parent adoptions cost around $5,000, and will rarely require a home study.
International Adoption
Also sometimes referred to as inter-country adoption, international adoption occurs when the parents adopt a child from a foreign country. Almost all of these adoptions occur through specialist agencies, and will incur their own unique costs. Travel expenses will need to be paid, a home study will be required – and likely more expensive, as you and your social worker will need to travel – and authentication of a dossier will need to be funded. This is a collection of documents, specific to the country you are adopting from, that illustrate what the prospective family is to be like, helping the child feel more prepared.
Different countries have different costs associated with international adoption, but some of the most popular options include:
- Ethiopia – $46,000
- South Korea – $44,000
- Ukraine – $40,000
- China – $36,000
All international adoptions will come with their own unique costs and fees, and this can include immigration applications prior to the adoption, and once the child is ready to immigrate, as well as court filings. You will also need to cover the cost of visa and passport fees, as well as the embassy medical fee. In addition, you will need to pay for an attorney to finalize the adoption in the US, should this not occur overseas.
- DHS Adoption
You can also adopt a child from the foster care system through the DHS, and there are no fees attached to this, provided that you select the DHS as your chosen agency – using a private agency means that you will incur the fees discussed earlier. You may, however, be able to claim some of these costs back, including the home study fee.
Additional Legal Fees
In addition to the fees discussed, it is worth noting that all adoptive parents are required to hire legal counsel in order to be able to finalize the adoption. In addition, you may also be required to pay for separate legal counsel for the birth parents, if they are to be part of the finalization process – this can add up to a fairly high cost. There can also be complications and special circumstances that can make things trickier, including the adoption of multiple children, interstate adoption issues, having uncooperative birth parents, or delays and setbacks – all of these can have a dramatic impact on the final cost, and so it is important to have plenty of room in your budget.
How Can We Help
Navigating the world of adoption can be a tricky task, especially when you consider the fees and costs that you may be facing. We can help to walk you through the process and ensure that you have all of the information to hand to make a smart, informed decision that is best for you and your family. Get in touch today, and see how we could help you to take that next step.
