Child adoption plans in Clarksville, Tennessee, can be concerning for the parents, especially when it comes to the cost involved. Just like the costs involved in pregnancy and childbirth, the initial costs for an adoption process can pose a great financial challenge for the parents. However, with research and planning, those expenses may be manageable.
The cost of adoption can range from $5,000 to more than $40,000, depending on the type of adoption that the parents are interested in pursuing. The adoption cost can be split into two components: one that is fixed for any type of adoption and the other that is used for adoption-specific expenses. In any event, it is wise to complete a thorough background check of the agency before the adoptive parents proceed with the adoption process.
The common, or universal, expenses include legal fees and home study expenses. The legal fees usually range from between $500 and $6,000, whereas the home study costs range from between $500 and $3,000. The adoption-specific expenditures vary, depending on the type of adoption plan that the parents choose.
Adoption through a public agency costs anywhere between nothing and $2,500, whereas private agency adoption costs range from $5,000 to $40,000. The cost of an international adoption can be between $15,000 and $30,000. In such cases of relocation, a number of other expenses, such as foreign agency and attorney fees, passport fees, and visa fees, are also included.
There are available resources that can help the parents with the adoption costs. Those include tax credits, subsidies, employer benefits, and loans or grants. For children with special needs, there are provisions for subsidies and reimbursements. If a family adopts a child with special needs, most states in the U.S. offer reimbursement of the adoption expenses up to $2,000.
Benefits such as paid or unpaid leave and partial reimbursement of adoption expenses are paid by many employers to the families that decide to adopt. Loans and grants are also offered to the parents who decide to adopt.
Source: ChildWelfare.gov, “Costs of Adopting,” February 2011
