Why does it cost up to $100k to adopt a child in the US?

[Anonymous]

My wife and I were looking into adoption, this is because there are something like 100k children in need of a good home in the US.

After you jump through all of the legal hoops and background checks and testing and interviews, all of which cost a shit ton of money, you can adopt.

When my wife and I checked into it, it was over $85,000. There are all of these children that need good homes, yet those that want to adopt can't afford it, and those that can afford it, refuse to adopt. Fucking hell man.

[SaoirseS]

It's the reason why a lot of couples go overseas to adopt. I know couples who have adopted Korean babies, and one couple who adopted a Ukrainian baby several years ago. It's considerably cheaper, even with travel and processing costs.

Adoption in the US has unfortunately been a racket for several years. I can accept expenses for background checks and reasonable costs, but $85K is ridiculous. It's even more if churches get involved.

The foster and adoption system in the US is simply broken.

[Asker]

Agreed, as I mentioned in another comment, I was a child in states custody. It was a nightmare hell I'd never want to visit on anyone, ever.

[SaoirseS]

I've heard plenty from kids who've grown up bounced from one foster home to another, it's just wrong. I'm so sorry you or anyone else ever had to go through that.

[Asker]

Yeah me too, I was a lucky one I think, I basically went into something called independent living when I was 16. Got out of it.

[jennifer_bloom]

It might be $100,000 for a surrogacy adoption, for an already born child not genetically related to you, the price might be lower, because having you adopt the child saves the government money, the money they would have spent raising the child if no foster parent comes forward. It might just be the first adoption that is expensive. As well, one way to make human adoption centres trust you, is to adopt pets before you adopt humans. I know someone who did that to make her family more desirable to adoption agencies when she adopted her kids.

[Asker]

When I was looking into it, surrogacy was cheaper by a lot. Surrogacy where I'm from was 45k, and adoption was 85k.

[exitseven]

It probably started because they wanted ot make sure that babies were being adopted by responsible people but eventually lawyers turned it into a cash cow.

[exitseven]

Thanks for the MHO

[Dargil]

Think about the annual cost to raise a child for 18 years.

[Asker]

While that may be true it also basically makes it near impossible for anyone but the super rich to adopt which is bullshit

[Mariogirl09]

What about a surrogate? Is that cheaper? I know its spending but I think you can get a child for less money

[Asker]

Average is 30 to 50k

[Asker]

It's less but goddamn.

[Mariogirl09]

Lol right... omg

[jahaims]

Because it's government sponsored human trafficking

[ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴇᴅ]

Are they selling it for money?

[Asker]

I dunno, but to go through the process you have to enlist the help of an adoption agency which costs between 30 and 50k alone, then there is the lawyer, and the background checks and Interviews all of which cost money.

[ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴇᴅ]

Hm interesting.

[Asker]

It's bullshit. When I was a kid, I was in states custody my self, foster home to foster home. I aged out cause no one wanted to adopt me.

[ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴇᴅ]

As for money, yes, it's ridiculous; not everyone can be a parent.