so how much does it cost really??

[juclark77]

I am on my second totally free foster/adoption. I got my daughter at 4 months and later my son at 23 months. Both healthy AA kids. State paid for lawyer, homestudy, everything. They would pay for our gas to go to court if I actually bothered to keep track. We got $450 a month each for the 6 months until the adoption was final. $225 or so after adoption until they are 18. Medicaid till 18 too. Since they get Medicaid, we also get WIC even though we make too much money.

[juclark77]

To clarify: both were foster to adopt not regular foster situations where we happened to adopt.

[CalebsMome]

Not to hijack, but to hijack and ask a question along these lines, where did you get $20, $30 + thousand dollard while waiting for the tax credit from the government? How does that work? We thought of adopting through Bethany, and their adoptions are subsidized, but only for Christian families (no flames, not my rule). I don't think we could foster adopt as we work in a group home two weeks out of the month. I'd do it in a heartbeat, but I don't think the state would go for it.

[happyhomemom]

We also fostered to adopt our son for free. He was a healthy 3 day old when he came home from the hospital and finalized at 10 months old. He does not get a subsidy but his adoption was free.

[Kori]

Here are some international fees from 1 specific agency. In my research their fees are a little low compared to a smaller agency that gives you more personal service.

http://www.holtinternational.org/adoption/fees.shtml

As for where to get the $20-$30K you can save, cash out investments (we're doing those 2 things) borrow from family, apply for loans, etc.

[redsonja]

Originally Posted by CalebsMome Not to hijack, but to hijack and ask a question along these lines, where did you get $20, $30 + thousand dollard while waiting for the tax credit from the government? How does that work? We thought of adopting through Bethany, and their adoptions are subsidized, but only for Christian families (no flames, not my rule). I don't think we could foster adopt as we work in a group home two weeks out of the month. I'd do it in a heartbeat, but I don't think the state would go for it.

Save save save, cut back on unnecessary expenditures, take out a loan, cash out savings accounts, apply for grants, ask for help from family/friends. You'd be amazed at where you can find money when it's really truely important. Keep in mind that these expenses are spread out over a couple years time frame.

[addiesmommy]

We're adopting from Ethiopia and after travel we will be out closer to 28K. We've paid 12K so far and still owe 8K to our agency and still have to travel which could be 8K.