Isn't it really expensive to adopt?

When people realize Malachi is adopted, this is one of the first questions they ask me (usually preceded by, "I hope you don't mind my asking, but ..."). As a banker's daughter, I usually don't mind talking about money, but it does seem a little weird telling people how much we paid to adopt our son. But I think I can answer this question without getting too specific, so here goes.

First, let me say that the cost of adoption varies greatly depending on what kind of adoption you want to do (domestic, international, infant, older child, special needs, etc.), which agency you use, and even which state you're in. The adoption costs in Washington, for instance, are about $4,000-$5,000 more than they were in Virginia. I have found that, in general, a domestic infant adoption can cost anywhere from $10,000-$23,000. One of the agencies we researched prorated the cost based on your income, meaning the more you made, the more you had to pay (it capped at around $18,000). Another agency we looked at cost less if you adopted an African American child (which made me mad, but I guess if there's a need ...).

A friend was doing an older child adoption and said the cost would be less than $1,000. And special needs adoptions usually are very inexpensive, as you can get all kinds of grants. My recommendation is to contact an agency if you're really interested. I've found that they are very upfront with the costs. We received a breakdown of the costs at the first informational meeting we attended. But don't forget that there are additional costs to remember: fingerprints, background checks, and then lawyer fees when it's time to finalize the adoption. Lawyer fees will probably run you anywhere from $1,000-$2,000.

So it sounds expensive, but there are also some other things to consider, like the Adoption Tax Credit. This has recently been increased to $13,170. In addition, some employers have grants that they give for adoption as well (the military offers $2,000 to families wanting to adopt). You can also check other places for resources and grants (one I know of is the ABBA Fund). I've heard of people doing fundraisers for adoptions, getting loans, asking family members, etc. Just remember that you have to pay the adoption costs in full before you get the child, and you will not receive the tax credit until the adoption has been finalized (i.e. gone through the court systems, which can be months later). So your upfront costs will be high, but you will be reimbursed for a lot of those expenses later.

I think the biggest thing to remember is that if God has called you to adopt a child (or children), He will provide the finances for you to do so! I hate when people tell me, "I've always wanted to adopt, but I just never had the money." To me, that's no excuse. God will provide. Do your research on it and check it out before you automatically give up over the cost. If nothing else, call a few agencies and ask - it can't hurt. The blessing of adoption is much more than the cost