A home study is written documentation of your background, parenting style, and readiness to adopt. The assessment will include interviews of all household members, home visits, background checks, personal references, and training.

LGBTQIA+ individuals and couples have the legal right to adopt in every state. LGBTQIA+ youth are disproportionately represented in foster care, often waiting longer for their forever family.

The acceptable income level varies depending on each situation. An individual or family’s income will be addressed as part of the home study to ensure that an adoptive parent is currently financially stable and able to provide for the basic needs of a child.

Yes. One of the benefits of adopting from the state is having access to a comprehensive case history. You will be given information on the child’s medical background, foster placements, and developmental level. You will also be given insight into the child’s personality, habits, hobbies, aspirations, likes and dislikes, connections to family and existing ties to their community.

Adoption provides the gift of family. It’s an opportunity to change a child’s life forever. Adopting a child from foster care also offers many special benefits to the family.

Affordability

While private forms of adoption can cost upwards of $30,000, adopting from foster care has minimal costs. The required adoptive parent training class and home study are provided typically free of charge, and even court costs and fees may be paid by the agency.

College Tuition

Many children adopted from foster case qualify for a college tuition waiver.

Common Interests

When you adopt from foster care, you may find a child with similar interests, or whose needs match the strengths of your family. There are available children who love sports, music, computers, animals, and many other interests.

Monthly Financial Support

Many children qualify for an adoption subsidy.

Health Care

Many children qualify for Medicaid upon adoption.

Federal Adoption Tax Credit

Tax benefits for adoption include both a tax credit for qualified adoption expenses paid to adopt an eligible child and an exclusion from income for employer-provided adoption assistance. The credit is nonrefundable, which means it’s limited to your tax liability for the year. However, any credit in excess of your tax liability may be carried forward for up to five years. The maximum amount (dollar limit) for 2021 is $14,440 per child.

Older Children

There are real advantages to adopting an older child. First of all, the long trek from diapers to college is shortened considerably if the child you are adopting is 10, 14, or even 16. You may be sharing more fishing trips or football games than sleepless nights with an infant.

Siblings

The dream of having a big family become reality if you adopt a sibling group. The bond among siblings is powerful. By adopting a sibling group, you are giving brothers and sisters a chance to grow up together in a new family – yours.