• FINANCING ADOPTION
• Abba Fund
• A Child Waits Foundation
• Adoption Tax Credit
• Family Legacies
• Brittany's Hope Foundation
• Caring Connection
• Employer Assistance
• James Fund
• Family Legacies
• FamilyFirst Loan
• Gift of Adoption Fund
• LifeSong
• Military Subsidies
• NCFA Loan
• National Adoption Foundation
• National Endowment for Financial Education
• Shaohannah's Hope
• United Healthcare Children's Foundation
• Other Financing

Financing Adoption

One of the primary barriers for many families who are considering adoption is the cost. We often hear, “Why does it have to cost tens of thousands of dollars to adopt a child?”

Because adoption is a complicated process and there are many types of adoption, sorting through the costs can be confusing. The bottom line is that out-of-pocket expenses can be substantially less than the initial total cost that people are told at the beginning of the process.

Why do Bethany’s fees vary from office to office?
Bethany hires experienced staff, trains potential adoptive families, and processes the considerable paperwork that is required for each adoption. Costs for these services vary by state and location because adoption requirements and operational expenses for offices vary by state and location.

Bethany Christian Services is a not-for-profit agency, and because we raise more than $10 million a year in financial contributions, we set our fees with the goal of making them as affordable as possible. We want to place as many children as possible in loving families and work with our clients to overcome economic barriers to adoption.

	Domestic Infant Adoption	Domestic Older Child Adoption (Foster Care Adoption)	International Adoption**
Total estimated cost to deliver services (this is how much it costs Bethany)	$20,000 - $30,000 (depending on state)	0 - $10,000 (depending on state)	Varies by country
Total estimated cost to receive services (this is how much it costs adoptive families)	$14,500 - $25,500 (depending on state)	0 - $1,000 (depending on state)	$15,000 – $40,000 (depending on country)
Federal Adoption Tax Credit (This is a reduction in the amount of taxes owed by qualified taxpayers. This is not a deduction.)	$11,390 (2007)	$11,390 (2007)	$11,390 (2007)
State Adoption Tax Credit (available in at least 15 states)	0 - $5,000 (depending on state)	0 - $5,000 (depending on state)	0 - $5,000 (depending on state)
Employer/Military Adoption Benefits (more than 50% of Fortune 500 companies offer benefits)	0 - $10,000	0 - $10,000	0 - $10,000
Adoption Grants	0 - $4,000	0	0 - $4,000
Net Total Adoption Cost* (range)	0 - $3,500	0	0 - $29,000
Net Total Adoption Cost* (average)	$3,110	Qualified taxpayers receive up to $11,390 in tax credits.	$12,610

*Net Total Adoption Cost assumes qualifying for the federal adoption tax credit and not receiving any state adoption tax credits, any employer adoption benefits, or adoption grants. For the most up-to-date adoption tax benefits for your specific situation, please consult a professional tax advisor.

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**Why are Bethany’s fees for intercountry adoption going up?

While it is our heart at Bethany to keep adoption fees as low as possible, we regret that we need to announce an increase in the intercountry adoption program administration fees for new adoptions on February 1, 2009. Fees for intercountry adoption in all countries will be increasing by $500.

This increase in fees is a reflection of our increased costs to facilitate intercountry adoptions. One reason is that daily operation costs have risen for the agency, just as they have in many for-profit companies. In addition, travel costs have increased, and Bethany staff frequently travel to maintain our quality programs. Children available for intercountry adoption often need tests and assessments, and these costs are on the rise in the birthcountries of waiting children. As an agency approved by the Hague agreement, we are committed to providing the best possible care to the children and families we serve. Our increased costs reflect our commitment to the integrity of Bethany’s intercountry adoption process and to the delivery of quality services to our clients.

Through Bethany’s Caring Connection Fund, Bethany’s loan programs, the federal adoption tax credit, and other foundation grants, we will continue to work with each family to make sure adoption is as affordable as possible. There are millions of children around the world waiting for permanent loving families, and we hope you will open your heart to help become a family or find a family for one of these children in need.

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Bethany Christian Services also offers two adoption loan programs (FamilyFirst and NCFA) that can help provide funds in the early stages of the adoption process that can be recuperated after receiving funds from tax credits, employers, or grants.

For a reference of adoption costs across the industry, click on this link to the 2005 Adoption Cost Survey from Adoptive Family Magazine.

http://www.theadoptionguide.com/cost/articles/how-much-does-adoption-cost

To help us continue to keep our costs as low as possible, please consider making a donation to Bethany that will benefit children in need.

To speak with a local Bethany expert about financing your adoption, please contact us or call 1.800.BETHANY.