Northern California Region U.S. Adoption Services Fee Schedule
Download and Print Fee Schedule
A word about fees: Bethany is committed to offering a comprehensive, Christ-centered ministry of excellence to expectant parents, adoptive families and the children we serve. Please see our “Understanding Adoption Fees” for further information about our fees. Bethany is different from many agencies and adoption facilitators - our fees include all typical services required to complete an adoption.
Today, there are more excellent options for financing your adoption than ever before. Please see our “Adoption has never been so affordable” for more information. Especially note the Adoption Tax credit. Based on your income, the federal tax credit for adoption expenses is now as much as $10.960, which would make your “cash out of pocket” under $8,500. Many people find creative ways to offset this balance through grants, loans, personal fundraising, etc. We can help you come up with ideas! God provides….we see this daily. There is no reason for finances to be the only barrier to your desire to adopt.
Did you know about half of Bethany’s yearly budget is subsidized by donor sources – individuals, fundraisers, churches, foundations and businesses? Without the generous support of those who believe in Bethany’s ministry, our adoption service fees would be nearly double! In the future, we hope that you’ll want to join other Bethany families by contributing to our non-profit (501c3) ministry. We rely on financial support from our past adoptive families, their friends, their families, and churches.
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Payment Schedule
Group Orientation Meeting
| No charge
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Educational Seminar on Adoption Issues
This is a day long seminar to prepare adoptive families in understanding basic adoption issues. Attending this Seminar is required to adopt a child through Bethany’s domestic infant program. (This fee is due upon registration and is nonrefundable.)
| $250 |
Application Fee
Due with Formal Application (non refundable)
| $500 |
Family Preparation/Assessment Fee
Every adoptive family adopting a child through an agency is required to complete a Preparation and Assessment process, which includes interviews, documentation, legal clearances, a home check, etc. This is typically a 3-6 month process from attending the Seminar to becoming a “waiting family”. (This fee is due after the Intake Interview, with the Assessment paperwork and is nonrefundable once all Assessment interviews have been completed.)
| $2500
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Program Fee
This fee covers program administration, state fees, advertisement costs, as well as support for Bethany’s outreach to mothers in need who are considering their options.
This fee also covers pregnancy-related expenses for birth mothers who are making adoption plans through Northern California Bethany, such as housing, medical care and other living expenses. There are no other hidden fees or potential for increased fees related to birth parent expenses through our traditional adoption program. The exception would be if the birthmother is from another state and another agency or Bethany office is involved. (This is a one-time, nonrefundable fee and is due upon submission of the Adoptive Family Profile. See page 3 under “hold policies” for further clarification)
| $6500 |
Adoptive Placement Fee
This fee is due and payable at the time of adoptive placement. It is not a “fee for the baby”, but rather is tied to the services we provide to you and to the birth parents to complete your adoption. If there is a change in the adoption plan, Bethany will refund this fee directly to you (or if you prefer, we can apply it to your next match).
| $9500 |
| TOTAL FEES TO BETHANY CHRISTIAN SERVICES: | $19,300* |
Note: Although each of these agency fees is nonrefundable except as stated above, they are one-time fees and would be credited toward a future adoption in the event of a disruption in the adoption planning.
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*Possible additional costs related to adoption:
If your adoption involves another Bethany office or another adoption agency, these fees may vary. depending on that state’s and agency’s fee structure/policies. In these cases, birthmothers’ pregnancy related expenses, as well as legal costs may be billed as additional charges.
Designated adoption fees may vary.
Legal clearances: For the required fingerprint clearances, anticipate approximately a cost of $200-$300, which is paid directly to the fingerprinting office and/or the Department of Justice.
Educational materials: We have books/materials that we recommend during the Preparation process. Although most of these are available through our lending library, many adoptive families choose to purchase their own materials for future reference.
Profiles: Costs related to creating your Profiles are not covered by the Bethany fees.
Networking/Facilitator costs: We encourage adoptive families to pursue informal “outreach” networking efforts. Costs related to this might include long distance phone calls, postage, creating extra copies of Profiles, etc. Some families choose to hire an adoption facilitator or attorney to assist them in their networking efforts, to pursue a “designated” adoption. These expenses are not covered by the agency fees, and would be the responsibility of the adoptive family.
Travel/ lodging: These costs may be applicable depending on your particular adoption situation, your location, location of the birth mother, etc. and would not be covered by agency fees.
Legal: Although the agency fee covers all usual legal work involved in an agency adoption, it is the responsibility of the adoptive family to cover any legal expenses that may result from a legally contested adoption. Though rare, there are times when a birth father is not willing to have his rights terminated and he may take legal action. If the adoption is actually contested, and you choose to proceed, legal costs would be the adoptive family’s responsibility. Additional legal representation may be necessary.
Adoption finalization: In California agency adoptions, an adoptive family completes a court process to finalize the adoption. This is a simple process, which can be done without an attorney, at little or no cost (we supply the paperwork and instructions). The court-filing fee is approximately $20. However if an adoptive family chooses to seek independent legal counsel for assistance, additional fees should be anticipated and would be not covered by the agency fee.
"On Hold” Policies:
During the Assessment period:
The Assessment process typically takes 3-6 months. If you choose to take longer than six months, your Assessment fee may be adjusted due to possible fee increases.
During the “Waiting” period:
You can request that your Family Profile be put “on hold” for any reason during the waiting time. Bethany can also request that you place your Profile on hold in the event of any major family changes that might effect the adoption. Once ready to proceed, your Profile can be easily reactivated. If your Profile is on hold for more than six months, your file and Assessment will need to be updated (with a modest update fee). At that time a new fee contract will be required.
If you plan to adopt through another source, your Family Profile will be placed “on hold”. If these plans change within six months, your file can be easily reactivated. If you complete an adoption through another source, your file with Bethany will be closed.
In the event of a pregnancy, your Profile will be placed “on hold” for up to six months. At the completion of a successful pregnancy, your file with Bethany will be closed.
Partial refunds of the Birth Parent Program Fee may be considered if a family has been waiting for less than a year.
We understand that this payment schedule may differ from our actual fee contract, based on unknown factors at this time (for example if we use the Bethany loan, utilize Bethany’s designated program, involve other Bethany offices or other agencies, or if there are legal complications or delays on our part). We also understand that Bethany reviews adoption fees annually and these fees are subject to change. We understand that we will sign a formal fee contract at the time of our adoption approval, which will finalize our fees. We have reviewed the above and understand fees and hold polices as stated above.
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