How do lower/middle class families adopt?

The brain

Hmm.... usually foster care.

But in this case, I think you would be below the poverty level with 3 members of your family making $25,000? Each though foster kids have Medicaid and you are paid a monthly stipend........I am really concerned about $$.

Kids cost money.....not just to adopt but to raise.

ETA:
This is a good example of where foster kids will be placed. Lower income family that uses the money from the state to take care of the child. Without that state money, the foster-parents could not afford caring for a child.
God forbid there is an emergency or the child needs therapy that is no longer covered by Medicaid....the foster parents can't afford it, so the child goes without.
The child already with horrible self-esteem is now also always getting second-hand clothes, toys, etc and never getting to be a "normal kid." This is the future.....

Nikki

Maybe start off with foster care

Kharli

Why don't you try foster care? My friend is in the same boat as you and that is what she is doing. There are plenty of children out there who need good homes and guidance. It can be hard but how rewarding would it be to improve a child's quality of life.

Ninjanna

Have you considered foster care? I don't know any financial part of it but 25,000 is definitely not enough for you, your husband, and raising a child. Foster kids need care too, and some families end up adopting eventually. Just a thought, more options I guess.

Serenity71

Why don't you go through your foster care system. You child may not be a newborn, but 0- 2yrs is just as wonderful. (Or an older child, depending on what you assessor says you can handle.)

I'm not rich, and I'm still an adoptive mum.

All the best and I hope you find a way.

anastasia beaverhausen-the real1

"How do lower/middle class families adopt?"

it's called FOSTER CARE.

Santa's Lil' Helper

While your house may be paid for your still young and should wait to your finished school. You have just been given a life-changing dx. Please resolve your feelings about adoption and being unable to conceive BEFORE you adopt. You and your child will be much happier.
While it certainly does not take extravagant toys to make a child happy it does take time and patience...something that comes with age. And remember children want to take dance classes, play sports or learn a musical instrument these things all take money!

Good luck.

x403momx

Where I live, in Alberta, Canada, you can ADOPT thru the government and they will pay you a monthly fee (the same amount as foster care), plus free counselling, plus limited free babysitting, plus 10 free sessions with a specialized counsellor a year. They've really made it possible for low-middle class families. I don't know if there are similar programs where you live. Its worth looking into though.

Crucio

Adopt from the Foster Care System. That will be your cheapest and sometime even free route. It is true you might end up with an older child but you can generally say up to what age your willing to take. (i.e. 0 to 5) Youâ€™d be giving a home a child that truly truly needed it. There are adoptions grants and loans here is a page at adoption.com http://affording.adoption.com/ about affording adoption and they give several possibilities. In some places if you adopt from FCS you will get a monthly allowance for the child this may not be a lot but every bit can help.

Youâ€™re right if someone budgets their money right one can get by on less money. Itâ€™s all about getting only what you need, getting it cheap sales/coupons/2nd hand. If something is the right price you can stock up. If you all do adopt by the time you were placed its very possible your income would be slightly higher as you said since youâ€™ll soon be graduating

Low income is no reason someone should not have children (adopted or natural) and has nothing to do with someone being good parents. So what if you canâ€™t afford a Porsche for your childâ€™s 16 birthdays or afford them designer cloths. A loving home and parent(s) is more important than that stuff. There are assistance programs that can help people honestly people say biological parents should take advantage of this well anyone can including parents who adopt.

MommyOlivia

Have you looked into adopting through a religious organization? There are several agencies out there that work through churches and the cost might be a little more affordable.

mom of many

foster care adoption is the least cost way to go and they pay you.

mommy_of _4

I don't know your credit situation,but you can take out loans for that. They have one's that are specifically designed for adoption and infertility services. Also you can check into the amount that is tax deductible i believe it is 10,000 at least maybe more. I am wanting to be a surrogate if it helps.

Randy B

Check your area and see if you have a "foster to adopt" program running. My wife and I recently had a 4 day old placed with us that we eventually adopted a few months ago (when she was almost 5 months old). The whole process was free. We didn't even have to pay for the home study. Now, in some areas they do make you pay for certain things but for the most part it's a few hundred dollars only, if that much.

It's worth a check anyway. It may be the perfect solution to your problem. Good luck.

bugitz0223

My gosh I did it and I'm a single. With two of you working you can certainly do it. Both of you get second jobs and you'll have the money eventually. Or, since your house is almost paid off, re-finance with the 40K cash out. Where there's a will there's a way. Either that or wait until you're both making more money. With 2 people making 25,000 per year I can only assume that maybe one of you is only working part time, or that you are very young to be earning so little. If both of you were working full time you'd be only making about $6.00 per hour a piece and I'm not sure that's even minimum wage. Finish college and work full time. Get night jobs and weekend jobs. Then start the process in about a year. You'll pay things bit by bit over the following year. You could also downsize. It sounds like you've got a lot of equity in your house. Sell it, and set aside the 40K for the adoption. then use the remaining profit for a downpayment on a smaller house, or live in an apartment until you start making more money.

littleJaina

That is alot for an adoption. You could always take out a mortgage on your house for an adoption loan, but that's pretty extreme. I think your best bet is to at least consider adopting from foster care first. Young couples are often matched with young children, sometimes even newborns. Adopting from foster care is almost free, and if the child has needs that might be expensive (like for medical problems) the state will continue to provide the child medicaid and sometimes even a monthly stipend. This is solely for the purpose of making sure that child can be adopted by the best family possible, not just the richest ones.

If your set on adopting a newborn not from foster care, there is the adoption tax credit. However, you still have to put forth the money up front. I know there are some private agencies that will help couples fund their adoptions. (Didn't Michael W Smith start one, or was it another Christian singer?) Still, I recomend starting with foster care. Those kids really need a family, and you really want a kid, what could be better?

ezmee1859

I'm not trying to be rude, but if you can't afford adoption, you can't afford children. They are very expensive. You will also be responsible for paying all of the Mothers expenses. Plus lawyers fees, or fees to the adoption agency. I don't know of anyone that has a payment plan for adoption, or any financial aide. Maybe you might try being a foster parent. That way you can see if being a parent is what you really want, and you can get paid to do it. Good luck.

sunny

You can't afford it.

Rachel M

I feel so sorry for you! I think couples who are honestly wanting to be parents and would be loving parents should be able to adopt for free! But reality is reality. It takes money to raise kids. No offense but you guys can't afford a child. $25,000 / year? My husband makes $100,000 and we still live on a budget w/ 3 kids. Think about the life of a child raised with no money. You think it is stressful, just imagine the stress of worrying that your child is going without. Consider getting an education, something that would pay. You MUST have plenty of income to have a child.

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