Looking for a reputable adoption agency to help you build your family is tough and it can be overwhelming.
Finding one that has fees that fit into your budget can seem impossible. But there is some good news. There are adoption agencies that have sliding scale fees.
What is a sliding scale? It is when an agency sets a fee for its services based on your income or ability to pay.
Sound good? Would that make your adoption journey more affordable? You bet.
Here are 4 adoption agencies that offer sliding scale fees:
1. Bethany Christian Services Adoption Agency
Bethany is one of the nation’s oldest adoption agencies and has locations in most states. You can request a free information packet from them or find out if a free informational meeting is taking place near you.
There is also a FAQ page to help answer some of your initial questions about domestic adoption with Bethany.
They have a sliding scale fee program available in most states, so you will have to contact your local Bethany office to find out more (just click on the locations link above.)
Click here to read some reviews.
They are based in Nevada, but work with couples from all over the country. They primarily place newborns. There is a $450 application fee and they spell out their fee structure on the website.
The site states specifically that the sliding scale depends on the potential adoptive couples income level, not the ethnicity of the child. The upfront fee of $5,000 is due at the signing of their “Statement of Understanding”. The fee is to retain their services and to get the process started as soon as possible.
State of Nevada (this shows they are a part of the state’s agency listings)
Adoption Star is a full service non-profit adoption agency licensed in New York, Ohio, and Florida. They specialize in domestic infant adoptions. Their placement fees are based on a sliding fee scale and are based on your gross income.
You can begin with their Getting Started page. They also offer free information packets as well as an online Adoptive Parents Profile form. Adoption Star has a great Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.
AdoptionsTogether is an agency based in Washington D.C. area. Their services include domestic infant adoption, and they can either work with you directly if you live in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington D.C., or they provide services that will network with other agencies nationwide.
Their domestic adoption placement fees are on a sliding scale set according to net worth if self employed, or by gross annual income and additional financial information as established at home study. You can download a free information packet. and they offer preparation training for their domestic adoption program.
While I think it is great that these four agencies provide sliding scale fees, it is not my intent to say they are better than other agencies. I simply want you to use this information to help you make a better decision as to which agency is the best fit for you.
I recommend checking with a good adoption attorney to make sure a sliding scale fee is legal in your state. You can also check out Childware.gov as they list the laws for each state pertaining to agency fees.
Please do some additional research of any adoption agency you are interested in working with. You can check their references, check online reviews, and do a simple Google search such as “Bethany Adoption reviews”.
Keep in mind that some adoption agencies have offices in many states. To judge them fairly, you should verify the reviews are about the office located in your state.
Need help finding an agency?
Adoption agencies are not all the same. They can look the same, but operate much differently. How do you know what makes a great agency? Who can you trust? How do you find agencies? Google search?
I get it. I’ve been in your shoes. After adopting 3 times and working for over 10 years with experts, successful adoptive families and even birthmoms, I’ve come up with a way to find & choose the right agency FOR YOU.
This FREE guide is called “How To Find The Right Adoption Agency in 4 Steps”. Just click on the guide below or this link:
HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT ADOPTION AGENCY IN 4 STEPS
