How Much Does Adoption Cost Through Lifetime Adoption?

Many potential adoptive parents ask questions like “How much does adoption cost?” or “Why is adoption so expensive?” As a domestic open adoption agency that provides services nationwide, Lifetime Adoption has an intimate understanding of the answers to this question.

The short answer is adoptive parents who choose to adopt a child through Lifetime Adoption pay a one-time flat fee that covers all of Lifetime’s services, including those provided to expectant parents.

However, before we dive into what’s included with Lifetime’s fee, let’s look at the cost of adoption nationwide.

National Cost of Adoption and What’s Included

Adoption costs can range anywhere from $30,000 to more than $60,000 nationally. The overall costs for domestic infant adoption can vary based on multiple factors, which we list below. It can also vary based on whether you use the services of a private attorney or an adoption attorney to help with your adoption plans.

Therefore, to determine how much it costs to adopt a child in the United States, we must consider the cost of the adoption process itself alongside a wide range of other potential adoption expenses. These additional costs can — and often do — include:

• Travel expenses
• Legal fees for adoption attorneys
• Adoption agency fees
• Birth mother expenses if any
• and more

Additionally, we must also take into account the cost of the initial adoption home study, which can range from $2,000 to $4,000. This includes a review of documents, interviews with family members, and background checks. Home studies provide our team with a quality overview of a potential new home for the child as well as an initial assessment of the adopting parents.

Moreover, the state you are trying to adopt in may have state specific costs.

That being said, adoptions through Lifetime Adoption tend to be more affordable than other professionals, with greater success, fewer failed adoptions, and more services. And our fee is a one-time flat fee, allowing adoptive parents to set up a budget and plan for the adoption. Lifetime Adoption’s fee includes all of the items listed above, but it also includes services to help birth mothers in need.

Additional Services for Birth Mothers Included in Lifetime Adoption’s Fee

The most important thing of all is to find a loving home for the children. We work with expectant mothers across the nation. And it is on their behalf and in honor of their loving choice that we work so hard and look so far and wide to find suitable homes for their children.

Women choose adoption for a variety of reasons. Some make an adoption plan because they’re raising kids and simply aren’t ready or won’t be able to afford another. Others choose adoption because they weren’t expecting to become pregnant or because they don’t believe in abortion.

No matter what the situation is, deciding if adopting is right for your family can be difficult for both birth mothers and adoptive families.

But as an adoptive family, your fee plays a direct role in the services we provide for our birth mothers. Now let’s look at a few of the adoption benefits that our fee helps provide for our birth mothers.

Counseling

Being able to speak about your feelings with someone is important. It allows you to create a healthy adoption plan. Lifetime offers a few different kinds of adoption counseling.
The women we work with can speak with a licensed counselor on the phone at any time. This counselor doesn’t work for Lifetime Adoption; they’re not trying to convince women to choose adoption. Their role is to help expectant moms work through the emotions they might be facing right now.

Lifetime also offers peer counseling. This means that birth mothers can speak with a woman who has already made an adoption plan for her baby. She’s been where they are, so she can provide an experiential insight on what adoption is like and what to expect. Plus, whenever our birth mothers have a question, concern, emergency, or just need to talk, an Adoption Coordinator at Lifetime is always available by phone, too. They can just call or text 1-800-923-6784 for support and education 24/7.

Prenatal Care

Lifetime helps women find and get prenatal care. Unfortunately, some women discover that their insurance or Medicaid doesn’t cover all their medical or hospital expenses. In these cases, Lifetime can help coordinate things so that the adoptive family she chose pays for those medical expenses (as allowable by law).

Immediate Physical Needs

In most situations, a woman can receive help with living expenses once she decides to match with an adoptive couple. For example, living expenses like rent, utilities, phone bills, and other pregnancy-related expenses may be covered.

However, Lifetime helps with immediate needs prior to matching if a woman needs it. Things like food, transportation, and phone are urgent needs for women in desperate situations.  We make sure to meet those needs so she can make a thoughtful decision about adoption, not one out of desperation.

Legal Services

Expectant mothers have the right to speak with a qualified adoption attorney to answer all of their questions. Sometimes, this needs to happen before they have chosen a family.  Lifetime ensures that the connection to an attorney can happen if legal issues are involved, such as whether or not she can even choose adoption in her situation.

Post-Adoption Support and Referrals for Scholarships

Lifetime is there for women 24/7 after they have placed their baby too. The counseling options remain as does a listening ear. We provide direct referrals to support groups and birth mother retreats that can assist a woman who is struggling with her decision.

We also provide referrals to organizations like Lifetime Foundation which has granted thousands of dollars’ worth of scholarships to birth mothers who are beginning or continuing their education. Learn more at LifetimeFoundation.org.

Now that you know what Lifetime Adoption’s fee includes, please review our materials on financing an adoption. And remember that our coordinators are here to help answer any questions you may have about the cost of adoption. Call or text us at 727-493-0933 for more information.