Adoption Fees & Aid

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At New Life Adoptions, we provide full and limited adoption services based on your situation. Adoption fees are paid based on the service provided. Below is a general list of fees for our adoption services. If you have specific questions about fees not answered here, you can call our Adoption Line at 612.746.5658.

All fees are due upon the provision of service. Once the service is completed and a fee is paid, the fee is non-refundable. New Life will not submit consent for finalization until fees are paid in full.

The fees listed below do not include the $70 fee that the Minnesota Department of Human Services charges per individual for background studies. Families will be required to pay this fee during the home study process. It also does not include fees for online educational seminars that are required to complete the home study process.

Full Service Adoption Fees

Full Service Adoption means an adoptive family, as well as the birth parent(s), work with New Life throughout the entire adoption journey. No other agency or legal professional is involved.

This fee is due with the Preliminary Application prior to admittance to the Informational Meeting.

This fee is due upon approval of the Formal Application. It includes processing the application and acceptance into the program.
This fee is due with the signed contract prior to the start of home study process. It includes the initial administrative staff expenses to begin the adoption study and acceptance as a client.

This fee is due upon adoption study approval and includes the following:

Education: Agency sponsored trainings, one-on-one adoption education, resource recommendations, and referrals

Meetings and Assessment: Discussion of options in adoption, preparation for parenthood and adoption, openness in adoption, transracial adoption education (if applicable), reference requests, compiling medical, financial, mental health history, other verification, writing of adoption study which fulfills state-mandated requirements for the adoption study

Miscellaneous: Assistance with profile preparation, support while waiting, assistance with showing profile to expectant parents

New Life charges $750 for updates to the home study. Minnesota law requires an update to the home study annually and in cases of significant changes to the family including but not limited to change in residence.

New Life charges an additional $750 for a rush home study in designated situations in which an expectant mother is due in less than three months or the child is already born.

The Adoption Study Fee is reduced to $2,500 for returning New Life families if the family returns within two years of the most recent adoption.

This fee is due after the “legal risk” period has passed and the placement has become secure. This fee includes the services provided primarily by the Expectant Parent Social Worker including:

Expectant Parent Sessions: Meetings with a social worker for decision making, adoption planning, openness, grief counseling and support before and after the adoption. These services are available to both expectant parents as well as their family members.

Case Management: Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) eligibility, medical assistance, assistance with referrals to other service providers, pass through fees (when applicable)

Placement: Hospital visits, completing paperwork, reviewing specific case risks, entrustment ceremony, liaison with hospital staff, support to birth family

Families who do not receive a placement from New Life Adoptions are not charged the Birth Parent Services Fee.

If interim care is necessary, there will be an additional fee of $1,000. The use of interim care is at the discretion of the birth parent(s) and New Life Adoptions in the best interest of the child.  

This fee is due after the “legal risk” period has passed and the placement becomes secure. This fee includes the services provided primarily by the Adoption Social Worker including:

Case Management: Communication with doctors, hospital, and other service providers

Adoption Facilitation: Compiling social and medical histories, birth certificates, compliance with the laws regarding father’s rights and the Minnesota Father’s Adoption Registry, face-to-face meetings with expectant parents, pre-placement meetings with adoptive family, assisting with completing cooperative agreements, applying for Medical Assistance for child, communication with adoptive family

Placement: Hospital visits, completing paperwork, reviewing specific case risks, entrustment ceremony, transition visits when needed, facilitation of birth parent(s)’ signing of adoption consents, New Life taking guardianship of the child and legal responsibility, support to birth and adoptive families

Families who do not receive a placement from New Life Adoptions are not charged the Placement Services Fee or are charged a reduced fee when placement is within Minnesota.

Legal consultation with New Life Adoptions’ attorney may be needed in some situations, and families would be charged $200/hour consultation fee. Families may choose instead to consult with an attorney of their choosing at their expense. If a Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) hearing is necessary to facilitate a secure placement under MN Statute 260C.301, there will be an additional $2,000 fee.

This fee is due at the end of the 90-day supervision period and prior to finalization. It includes:

Supervision Visits: State-required visits to assess family’s adjustment and level of attachment and bonding, support to adoptive family and their relationship with child’s birth family, as needed

Reports: Post-placement report; report to court; certificate of adoption; documentation of child’s well-being and adjustment; assisting with, compiling and submitting documents to court for finalization as required by law 

Post Adoption Services: Requests to update addresses, setting up visits through New Life, passing along information concerning death or terminal illness (birth parents/adoptee), passing new medical information from birth family, providing a social worker to facilitate meetings within the first two years after placement, connecting clients with similar circumstances, referrals, forwarding/copying regular correspondence once contact has been made, basic correspondence related questions

An additional Adoption Filing Fee for the court cost to finalize the adoption  is also due at this time. This fee varies by county and is typically between $375-400.

Limited Service Adoption Fees

In a Limited Service Adoption, an adoptive family works with more than one agency and/or legal professional to complete their adoption and, therefore, receives limited services from each. It is important to note that when pursuing a Limited Service Adoption, adoptive families may pay more for the various services rendered because multiple professionals are involved. If you are in need of limited adoption services, we can help you navigate which services are needed.

This fee covers the assistance with placement coordination when another agency, attorney, facilitator, or consultant is involved and collaboration of the two professionals.

This fee covers the facilitation of an interstate placement as required by both the sending and receiving states for the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC).

New Life charges an additional $750 for a rush home study in designated situations in which an expectant mother is due in less than three months or the child is already born.

This fee is due at the end of the supervision period and prior to finalization. It includes:

Supervision Visits: State-required visits to assess family’s adjustment and level of attachment and bonding, support to adoptive family and their relationship with child’s birth family as needed

Reports: Post-placement report; report to court; certificate of adoption; documentation of child’s well-being and adjustment; assisting with, compiling and submitting documents to court for finalization as required by law (No attorney needed in most cases)

Post Adoption Services: Requests to update addresses, setting up visits through New Life, passing along information concerning death or terminal illness (birth parents/adoptee), passing new medical information from birth family, providing a social worker to facilitate meetings within the first two years after placement, connecting clients with similar circumstances, referrals, forwarding/copying regular correspondence once contact has been made, basic correspondence related questions

 

Aid

New Life Adoptions does not offer financial assistance or reduced fees. However, there are several ways to fund your adoption when aid is needed. The following is a list of possible financial assistance resources.

Persons may be able to take a tax credit for qualifying expenses paid to adopt an eligible child (including a child with special needs). The adoption credit is an amount subtracted from a person’s tax liability. This is not a refund – it is a credit. Learn more on the IRS website or through the National Council For Adoption.

 

Some employers offer an adoption benefit to help financially assist or reimburse employees for adoption related expenses. Check with your employer to see if they offer an adoption benefit. The Dave Thomas Foundation recognizes companies for be adoption-friendly workplaces. See if your employer is listed here: www.davethomasfoundation.org/our-programs/adoption-friendly-workplace/

Uniting families through interest-free, covenant loans for adoption. “ABBA Fund was founded by Christian adoptive families who were clearly responding to God’s call on their lives to care for orphans through adoption but needed help to get through the cash crunch that typically happens near the end of an adoption when a family brings their child home. These loans are typically no more than 1/3 of the overall cost of the adoption, and average in the $6,000-$8,000 range.” Learn more on the ABBA Fund website.

“AdoptTogether is a non-profit, crowdfunding platform that bridges the gap between families who want to adopt and the children who need loving homes. We turn crowds into communities to help bring children home to their families.” —from their website. Learn more at www.adopttogether.org.

“Adopt a Love Story is a crowdfunding platform for adoptive families. We help families raise funds for their adoption by telling their story and promoting their journey through social media.” —from their website. Learn more at www.adoptalovestory.com.

“Serve a Widow. Fund an Adoption. We’re building a world where finances are no longer an obstacle to adoption. Our mission is to fulfill James 1:27 by serving orphans, widows, and Christian adoptive families. Our purpose is to help Christian adoptive families fund their adoptions by coordinating a service project fixing up a widow’s home. Our vision is to see the day when finances are not an obstacle for Christian families who are led to adopt, while simultaneously serving every widow in need of home repairs.” —from their website. Learn more at www.bothhands.org. 

“Firefly’s Adoption Loan can help cover up to 90% of the many expenses associated with adoption” —from their website. Learn more at www.fireflycu.org/For-You/Borrow/Adoption-Loans.

This is a national charitable organization created to inspire people to adopt by providing grants to qualified parents. Learn more on the Gift of Adoption Fund website.
This organization was started by a family who had a difficult adoption journey of their own, incurring costs they could not pay. Help Us Adopt now allows families desiring to adopt to receive financial help during the adoption process. Learn more on the Help Us Adopt website.

“At JSC Foundation, our hope is to assist Christian couples for which the cost of adoption is a hardship.” —from their website. Learn more at www.jscfoundation.org.

Katelyn’s Fund aims to bring orphan awareness to others, to provide emotional and prayer support to families, and to assist Christian families with the high costs of adoptions. Learn more on the Katelyn’s Fund website.
Bringing joy and purpose to orphans throughout the world, the Lifesong Legacy Fund offers interest-free loans to help couples overcome the high cost of adoption. Lifesong offers matching grants, which encourage the adopting couple’s church family to financially and prayerfully support the adoption. Learn more on the Lifesong for Orphans website.
This is an national organization that awards grants for adoption on a quarterly basis. They have also partnered with Citizens Bank to provide financing options to help with adoption. Learn more on the National Adoption Foundation website.
“Pathways reduces financial barriers for adoptive families to help bring children home and provides support along the journey.” They were founded on the principles of James 1:27 and offer adoption financial assistance, counseling and therapy grants, and scholarships for adoption conferences and retreats.
“Our mission: To care for orphans by engaging the Church and reducing barriers to adoption.” Learn more on the Show Hope website.

“Families that are adopting domestically and have been approved by an agency or facilitator can apply for a grant. There is no income requirement. There is an application that you will submit along with a home study, a “look book” that tells the story of your family and proof that you are working with an agency or facilitator. Our adoption board meets every quarter and will award grants at the end of each quarter.” —from their website. Learn more at www.thebuescherfoundation.org.

“Our mission is to show the truth of God’s love by providing financial support to Minnesota families who are adopting domestically or internationally regardless of their financial needs.  Our goal is to bless growing families for their obedience to the LORD providing HIS children a loving Christian home.” —from their website. Learn more at www.jamesprojectmn.org. 

They offer an online video library of resources to help create a financial plan for your adoption journey, unlimited one-on-one coaching, fundraising expertise, and educational resources.