Would we be approved to adopt?

[slingmama4]

We want to adopt domestically, but I'm wondering if we will be eligible based on our income?
I am a stay-at-home mom and my husband brings home 37k. We live a very comfortable, yet modest life. We rent our home $650/m and we own our cars. We have no other debt. We don't have credit cards. Our monthly income is about $3k. Our outgoing is about $1250 (rent, utilities, and insurance). Another $1200 for gas and food per month, which leaves us with about $600 in the positive that is not allocated to anywhere. We have 5 children (4 boys and a girl) and live in a 4 bedroom home. We also are to recieve $350/m in child support for my oldest son. We don't count it as income because although legally we are to receive this amont every month, he rarely pays and is about $20k behind in his payments.

As for coming up with the money to adopt, we have about $2k from tax return that we can put towards it. Plus, our church has a program that pays for half of the total cost to adopt and they have given us their blessing on doing it and we would do fundraisers to cover the rest. We've looked into fostercare/adoption, but were turned down because we already have 5 children in the home. Their max is 5 children in the home (birth/foster/adopt) in NC.

So, my questions are:
Based on our finances will the home study approve us to adopt?
Do they look at each individuel situation or is it a certain number they are looking for?
What is a ball park cost to adopt domestically? I was thinking $10k-$20k?
Also, what about insurance? My children currently have Medicaid heath insurance because my husband was in school. He just stated his new job, but we haven't decided what to do with health insurance yet. Is it not acceptable to have medicaid as insurance if you want to adopt?

[reneaumommy]

Financially it sounds like you should be fine. The medicaid may be an issue. I'm not sure. We were doing an international adoption (but have switched to foster adopt) and I know can not be receiving any federal assistance to qualify. Domestic may be different though.

[bama]

If you have to go by USCIS guidelines you won't qualify. But I'm not sure if you go by the poverty line when adopting domestically or not.

ETA: Here is the chart for 2011 http://www.usimmigrationjourney.com/...sa-petitioner/

[Beth.]

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[newmommy13]

Originally Posted by Beth. Our agency would not approve you to adopt if you were receiving medical assistance (due to low income). Nor would our county for a foster or foster/adopt homestudy. Our agency didn't care how much money we made. They were concerned about our ability to pay our bills and provide food, shelter, medical, education, etc for our kids and ourselves. Average domestic newborn adoption is more like $15-30k. This varies greatly due to state laws (agency required, or not, etc) and each individual situation (bmom expenses, etc). We did two adoptions (2008 & 2010) for less than $15k each, but we are definately in the minority cost wise. On the number of kids, the agency I used would not approve a homestudy based on the fact that the state/county wouldn't approve a homestudy. In our state, the limit is 8 kids (might have gone down though ... can't remember).

ugh. it seems like you might hit a brick wall with this mama. just curious beth was it a faith based agency? that might affect an agency's decision on family size no?

[Beth.]

.

[pcjs]

Originally Posted by newmommy13 ugh. it seems like you might hit a brick wall with this mama. just curious beth was it a faith based agency? that might affect an agency's decision on family size no?

She may be able to do a private adoption but one still has to pass a home study usually.

Listen to Beth... she knows what she is talking about!

[sunnymommy]

Originally Posted by bama If you have to go by USCIS guidelines you won't qualify. But I'm not sure if you go by the poverty line when adopting domestically or not. ETA: Here is the chart for 2011 http://www.usimmigrationjourney.com/...sa-petitioner/

Not to HJ or anything but on this chart as far as adopting internationally - is the household size the current number of people or do you include the 1 you would be adopting?
(Because we have 3 kids so family size of 5 and just barely make more than required for 5, but not 6 which is what we would be if adopting another...)

[newmommy13]

Originally Posted by Beth. Catholic ... the more the merrier. However, in WI, all adoptive parents must be foster care licensed to adopt. Because it's a foster care license, requirements must be met. My guess is that some agencies can and would make exceptions, but not necessarily. And remember, that's just our state/my agency. No idea what the laws are in OP's state.

i did not know that about foster care licensing requirements needing to be met by private adoptions! really interesting. i am going to PM you about something.

[pcjs]

Foster and newborn adoptions are very different. Foster care has far more detailed home study's and it takes far longer to clear ICPC and lots of other complications. Newborn has complications but are very different. They have basic state laws that all agency's have to follow for the home study to pass a judge to adopt but it can vary depending on the worker/agency. Our agency was very relaxed.

I'm around if you PM. Especially for you.