How to Get an Adoption Subsidy for a Non-Foster Child
In the United States, Title IV-E is the chief federal government program offering subsidies to offset the costs of adoption. The approximately 115,000 waiting children profiled on the website AdoptUSKids.org generally qualify for Title IV-E assistance. However, these subsidies are designated for children adopted directly from state foster care systems. If you are seeking to adopt a child who is not currently in one in of these systems, sources of financial help might not be so readily available, but there are many options worth exploring.
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Instructions
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Ask your adoption agency if it can give you any financial breaks. Whether it is a state child welfare office, Native American tribal government agency, private faith-based charity or secular nonprofit, your agency might be willing and able, for instance, to waive or reimburse certain adoption fees. It might also agree to charge you on a sliding scale, that is, according to your ability to pay. If you are not already working with an agency, the Child Welfare Information Gateway publishes an online directory. The National Indian Child Welfare Association can direct you to the appropriate tribal government agency.
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Research any adoption subsidy programs that your state government might offer. States vary in what financial help they offer. Consult the Child Welfare Information Gateway's Adoption Assistance by State guide.
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Investigate whether your employer offers adoption-related benefits. The federal government and the military are among the employers who give these. Adoption benefits might be, for example, payment of the birth mother's medical expenses, coverage for family counseling, unpaid or paid leave, or reimbursement of adoption fees.
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Explore private charities that have grants and low-interest loans for adoptive families. For example, A Child Waits Foundation helps some families who adopt internationally.
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Learn whether your family qualifies for a federal adoption tax credit. Search for "adoption" on the Internal Revenue Service website to retrieve forms and instructions for the appropriate tax year.
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If it might be the best choice for your family, find out whether your state offers subsidized legal guardianship of children. For some children, neither foster care or reunification with birth parents are good or feasible options. Yet there might be reasons not to terminate the birth parents' rights and arrange an adoption. A subsidized guardianship gives you state financial assistance in carrying out your responsibilities as the child's legal, court-appointed guardian.
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Tips & Warnings
If possible, research and pursue adoption assistance sources well before the adoption is finalized.
References
- Child Welfare Information Gateway: Adoption Assistance by State
- Child Welfare Information Gateway: Grants/Loans/Tax Credit for Adoption
- Child Welfare Information Gateway: National Foster Care & Adoption Directory
- Child Welfare Information Gateway: Subsidized Guardianship
- SmartAboutMoney.org: How to Make Adoption an Affordable Option
Resources
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