Adoption Costs
Many people who consider adoption are concerned with the financial costs associated with the adoption process and the many services which children with special needs may require. The costs of adopting a child from the public foster care system through A Place Called Hope are typically kept to a bare minimum and may be eligible for reimbursement. Incurred costs are generally limited to: Attorney fees, post placement report, post placement services and adoption home studies.
Adoption Post placement fees shall be determined upon a sliding fee scale, determined by applicant’s resources and abilities to pay. Applicants will be assisted in applying for adoption support, military reimbursement (if applicable), and advised of the adoption tax credit. Additionally, families will be encouraged to check into employer benefits, and given names of foundations that provide low-interest loans.
APCH standard fees are:
Application fee & Family Preparation $750.00
Home study (Pre-Placement Report) $1,000.00
Post Placement Report $250.00
Post Placement Services $1000.00
Total Agency Fees $3,000.00
This does not include attorney fees, filing fees and fees for birth certificates. Families need to find their own attorney.
- At the time of application, $750.00 is due to A Place Called Hope and is non-refundable.
- Upon completion of the child specific homestudy the homestudy fee of $1000.00 is due.
- Balance of $1350.00 is due when the court date is set.
A Place Called Hope is a private, non-profit 501c(3) agency that works in conjunction with an international child placing agency of your choosing to provide the needed home study and post placement reports for an international adoption. A Place Called Hope does not place children from other countries into adoptive homes. A Place Called Hope will provide adoption preparation support and services to international families when needed.
A Place Called Hope is committed to helping children find forever families. We will do everything possible to help adoptive parents find financial resources. Following are some of the resources available to provide families with financial assistance:
Adoption Subsidy
Families adopting special needs children through the public welfare system may qualify for adoption subsidy, a negotiated monthly cash payment provided to adoptive families to help pay for some of the expense involved in raising a child with special needs. See Adoption Support Program.
Non-Recurring Adoption Expense Reimbursement
Before fializing the adoption of a child with special needs from the public child welfare system, families may apply for reimbursement of adoption costs. Maximum reimbursable costs are $1500.00 per child. See Adoption Support Program.
Medicaid
All children participating in the Adoption Support Program are eligible to receive medical and dental services through Medicaid.
Federal Tax Credit
You may be able to take a tax credit of up to $10,160 for qualifying expenses paid to adopt an eligible child. The adoption credit is an amount that
you subtract from your tax liability.
To find information about tax rules and changes to those rules, you can link to the Internal Revenue Website for information about the IRS AdoptionTaxpayer Identification Number, and for Publication 968 on the Adoption Tax Credit and Tax Exclusion.
Employer Benefits
Many employers provide a range of benefits for families who adopt (including paid or unpaid leave when a child arrives in the home, reimbursement of some portion of adoption expenses, assistance with adoption information and referral services, etc.). Corporate human resource departments will provide employees with information if benefits are available.