Be sure to explore funding and other adoption benefits through your current employer, and the foundations listed at the bottom of this paragraph. On the other hand, be realistic with your expectations, and seek to know the facts about costs up-front. As you are doing your research and beginning to talk to adoption placement professionals/agencies ask for a full delineation of all adoption fees and an explanation. One of the major pitfalls that many people experience in the adoption journey is problems with money. Ask about any additional fees to be added later. Inter-country adoptions can cost $10,000 - $35,000 with additional travel costs. Check with your employer(s) about potential adoption benefits; be aware of the adoption tax credit, which is currently up to $10,000 of qualified adoption expenses for international adoptions and is a flat credit for special needs domestic adoptions.
"I have prayed every night for God to give me a mom and a dad, but I have been waiting nearly 16 years and I still do not have parents. " 16-year-old Russian Orphan named Lena, aging out of the orphanage
Also, we recommend the On-line Course to understanding the Adoption Tax Credit available through: Adoption Learning Partners. There are a number of foundations which provide financial grants to adoptive families: The Abba Fund, Life International, and Shaohannah's Hope, to name a few.