Estimated Agency Adoption Expenses and Costs

Adoption costs vary widely from adoption to adoption. Because of the variables that influence costs, we present below a range of expenses and costs for an agency adoption.

Estimated Agency Fees
Application $150
Pre-placement Investigation by CFS $1,100
Fingerprints and Clearances $85
*Review and Office Interview if Pre-placement Investigation is not done by CFS $400
*Update to Pre-placement Investigation by CFS $550
Birthmother Outreach Fee $2,500
Child Placement Fee $12,600
Post-placement Investigation on Infant by CFS $450
Total Fees (excluding items with asterisks) $16,885

Estimated Expenses
Witness to Birthparent Relinquishment $150-$300
Birthmother Hospital $0 to $4,000
Doctor 0 to $2,000
Laboratory, Pharmacy, etc. $0 to $300
Baby Hospital $0 to $700
Doctor$0 to $200
(The above medical bills are usually paid by Medicaid.)
Foster Care Expenses at $30 per day $0 to $90
Birthmother Living Expenses $0 to $3,000
Total Expenses $150 to $10,590

In addition to agency fees, after adoptive placement there are fees paid to the attorney who will finalize the adoption in Court.

Estimated Attorney Fees and Costs
Attorney Fees for Uncontested Adoption $2,100
Guardian ad Litem $450
Court Filing Fee $175
Birth Certificate $35
Birthfather Registry Fee $50
Paralegal Fees $495
Administrative Fees $95
Total Fees and Costs $3,400

Birthmother Outreach Fee $2,500

As a Christian agency, our goal is to reach out and minister to birthparents during any stage of the pregnancy. The Birthmother Outreach Fee enables us to work with a birthmother in the early stages of pregnancy, when she is unsure of the plan for her child. There will be times that after counseling and providing services for her, a birthmother will decide to parent her child.

In order to provide the best services to our birthparents, and to reach out to the community against abortion and for adoption, we work hard to develop positive relationships within the community. These relationships not only help our clients obtain services, but these relationships bring us referrals of birthmothers who choose adoption.

The Birthmother Outreach Fee enables us to print brochures, purchase yellow page advertising, and fund 25% of the Executive Director's salary for outreach efforts.

Child Placement Fee $12,600

Following are some of the services covered in this fee:

• Counseling birthparents and their families wherever they are located;
• Providing free counseling as long as needed and desired after the adoption;
• Finding housing for birthmothers;
• Accompanying birthmothers to doctor visits and other appointments;
• Helping birthmothers obtain services and benefits such as Homebound
Instruction and Medicaid;
• Accompanying birthmothers to the hospital and working with doctors and
hospital staff at delivery;
• Completing medical and social background investigations on the child,
including maternal and paternal histories;
• Arranging for the witnessing of the signing of relinquishments for adoption
by birthparents;
• Working with the attorney who finalizes the adoption;
• Providing an Orientation Meeting for adoptive parents;
• Counseling and supporting adoptive parents;
• Mediating contact between the adoptive and birthparents after the adoption; and
• Administrative costs of the agency.

Identified Adoptions

If the adoptive family locates their own birthmother and CFS mediates the placement, the family is not charged the Birthmother Outreach Fee, and the Child Placement Fee may be reduced, depending upon the services CFS provides.