Adopting

Whether adopting a child means starting a family or expanding your current one, it's a life-changing decision that requires a considerable amount of research about the adoption process.

Begin by considering what has brought you to this decision, then take some time to evaluate the financial and emotional resources you and your family can provide to a new family member. Would these resources best support an infant, toddler or teen? How can your lifestyle and immediate environment present and dissolve social obstacles for a child? For example, do you plan to be a single parent? Do you have a disability? Are you gay or will you be considerably older than the child you adopt?

Evaluating social resources can provide insight as to which ethnic background a potential parent should consider adopting and whether to adopt domestically or internationally. In turn, determining where you want to adopt your child may influence whether you have an open adoption with a birth parent and if you want to work with an agency, attorney or facilitator. It will also determine the amount of money or time off from work that you will need for adoption expenses and legal procedures. International adoptions are expensive as well as time consuming, as adopters will travel overseas and may need to spend an extended amount of time in the child's country of origin during the finalization process. Independent and private agency adoptions are equally expensive, starting around $5,000 and possibly going over $30,000 in fees. Public adoptions simply cost however much a home study fee is (generally a few thousand dollars).

Although these adoption fees are intimidating at first glance, there are many different ways to finance an adoption, from loans to government reimbursements, tax claims and employee benefits.

Finding a placement begins with knowing what kind of child you want to adopt. Photo listings can be helpful for adopters looking to place with an older child. These can be found in local publications, e-magazines or websites. Infant placements begin with the reflective process of putting together an adoption profile, which is a scrapbook-like portfolio that prospective adopters use to make an impression on birth mothers.

Don't be your own obstacle in the adoption process. Make the options available to yourself through research – and know there are millions of people out there in the adopting world with you.