How expensive is it to adopt a child in Arkansas

Prospective parents who are looking to adopt a child in Arkansas are often concerned about the costs of the process and the expenses afterward. Having a child is expensive, no matter how or she enters a family, but adoption can be less expensive than pregnancy and childbirth. Finding out about the types of adoption that are available will allow potential parents to budget for the expenses before they adopt.

Adoption costs can be extremely low or high, even exceeding $40,000 in some cases. The manner of adoption affects the cost the most. Public agency adoptions can range from nothing to $2,500. Licensed private agency adoptions can cost from $5,000 to more than $40,000. Independent adoptions can cost from $8,000 to more than $40,000. Facilitated or unlicensed adoptions cost from $5,000 to more than $40,000. Finally, international adoptions can cost anywhere from $15,000 to $30,000.

Many prospective parents find these costs to be more than they expected. Research, however, may lead them to adoption options that are less expensive. They also may be able to find resources that will help them cover their costs.

Many parents have been able to determine their adoption costs by deciding ahead of time which type of adoption they want to pursue. The main categories of expenses are universal expenses and adoption-specific expenses. Universal expenses include home study expenses and court costs. These costs are the same for every type of adoption. Adoption-specific expenses are associated with each general category of adoption. Knowing these costs can help steer potential parents to a specific manner of adoption.

Anyone who plans to or is interested in adopting a child would be wise to seek advice from an experienced family law attorney. He or she can help a prospective parent understand the types and categories of adoption that best meet their desires and resources and the legal formalities involved in the process.

Source: ChildWelfare.gov, “Costs of Adopting,” accessed April 16, 2015