How much does adoption cost?

The costs of adoption vary. Please see our our Programs Flyer for familiesto review typical costs for each of our programs.

How can we pay for our adoption?

Some employers offer adoption assistance. Check with yours! Many Lighthouse families have asked for help from friends and family. Supportive communities have helped our families raise thousands of dollars to bring waiting children home.

Many of our families choose to take out home equity loans or find other financing. When considering adoption, it is very important to remember the $10,000 federal tax credit. This credit allows a family to subtract up to $10,000 for each child adopted from the amount owed in the year the child arrives home. The credit can be carried for up to five years, should your total tax burden for the year your child arrives home be less than $10,000. Many of our parents use their tax credit to repay the loans they took out for adoption.

How long will it take?

The length of time you will wait varies by program. Please look at our Programs Flyer for families to see typical wait times for referral and travel. Remember that these are based upon past experience - each adoption is unique!

Which program is right for our family?

Each program has its unique strengths and weaknesses. Haiti offers a great deal of personal information about the children and the opportunity to visit your child in country, but the wait is long. Liberia offers a very quick process and excellent 'matchmaking', but parents will not be able to visit their children prior to their arrival in the United States. Please give us a call to see which program is best for you.

Why Lighthouse Adoptions?

Because we know our children heart to heart!

We think of these children as OUR kids, and we are entrusting our adoptive parents to care for them. We believe that educating and supporting parents is the best way for us guide our waiting children to safe harbor. Lighthouse families are assigned a family liaison to help them through every step of the adoption process and provide emotional support and counseling during the child's transition to her new home. Our extensive parent education is geared to making you the best parent you can possibly be for your new child with useful, relevant information. Our parents are encouraged to support each other as they wait for their children and later as they raise them. Once you become a Lighthouse family, you will become a permanent part of the Lighthouse family. We will do everything in our power to help you be the best parent you can be.