It’s common for women facing unexpected pregnancy to think about placing their baby in an adoptive home. That sometimes leads them to wonder, “Can I get paid for adoption in Indiana?”
First, please know these two facts:
- Adoption financial assistance in Indiana is available for expectant birth mothers.
- Expectant birth mothers never have to pay to put a child up for adoption.
So, can you get paid for adoption in Indiana? The answer is always no, but you may still have questions about financial assistance for adoption in Indiana. Fortunately, there are adoption professionals who can help you if you’re wondering, “Can you get paid for adoption in Indiana?”
Do you already have an adoption agency you’re working with? If not, you can complete our online form to connect with one today and get the answers you need to move forward. Meanwhile, please read further in this guide to get answers to “Can you get paid for adoption in Indiana?” and other questions.
1. Is there a cost you must pay when you put your baby up for adoption?
No, expectant birth mothers aren’t expected to pay to place a child for adoption in Indiana. Adoption is free for birth moms. The costs associated with pregnancy and delivery can be high, including pre-natal healthcare and birth expenses. Forcing birth mothers to pay for the adoption process would be an unethical burden.
2. Can you get paid for adoption in Indiana?
There’s a common misconception that birth mothers “get paid” for adoption. It probably comes from the fact that birth mothers may receive financial assistance from prospective adoptive parents when they decide to place a child. That financial assistance isn’t considered compensation, though. Adoption for compensation is illegal everywhere in the U.S.
Accepting or proposing compensation for adoption is considered a crime and may result in prosecution. When birth parents are given or offered money or anything of value in return for putting a child up for adoption, it’s considered human trafficking.
Can you get paid for adoption in Indiana? No, though financial help can be provided legally. Financial assistance from prospective adoptive families can help cover most of the costs of pregnancy, labor, and delivery.
3. Can you get paid to give a baby up for adoption in Indiana by your adoption agency?
You may be asking, “Can you get paid for adoption in Indiana by your adoption agency?” If so, please know it doesn’t matter who provides the improper compensation. Offering or providing birth parents with money or anything of value in exchange for placing a child for adoption is illegal, whether payments originate with the adoptive parents, adoption agencies, or other representatives of prospective adoptive families.
Any agency or individual that proposes illegal compensation for adoption should be considered suspicious. Payment of any kind for giving your baby up for adoption may lead to prosecution for human trafficking, so make sure to avoid any person or agency that offers illegal compensation.
Can you get paid for adoption in Indiana by an adoption agency? Though you can’t get paid for adoption, your agency can help you legally get help with pregnancy-related expenses through adoption financial assistance. Birth mother expenses incurred before, during, and right after pregnancy and birth may be paid by hopeful adoptive families or through adoption agencies.
4. What costs can be paid through birth mother adoption financial assistance?
A surprise pregnancy can create financial chaos in your life because pregnancy and delivery are both expensive. The additional costs that accompany pregnancy (like groceries, medical care, and lifestyle costs) are sometimes overwhelming. Your limited ability to work during pregnancy may cause additional strain on your finances.
Even though the answer to the question, “Can you get paid for adoption in Indiana?” is no, you can get financial assistance to help with pregnancy-related expenses that are fully legal. That financial assistance can pay pregnancy related costs such as living expenses and the healthcare care expenses.
Some of the costs that fall under the umbrella of birth mother financial assistance in Indiana include:
- Medical expenses: The cost of prenatal and postnatal healthcare is high, but state law lets potential adoptive families help with the expense of birth mother and baby medical care and hospital fees.
- Living expenses: Birth mother living expenses may increase during pregnancy, so costs related to birth mother housing, food, and utilities can be paid by prospective adoptive parents.
- Legal expenses: Adoption legal fees represent another considerable expense in adoption, and they can be a burden on expectant birth mothers. In Indiana, hopeful adoptive parents can legally pay those costs.
- Adoption expenses: Birth mothers are entitled to receive the resources and support provided by an adoption agency. Potential adoptive families are legally able to pay those costs as well.
Even if you’re later in your pregnancy or your child has already been born when you choose adoption, you can still get help. If you’re wondering, “Can I get paid for adoption in Indiana?” in those circumstances, please know adoption financial assistance may still be available. Discuss your situation with a professional, as every adoption scenario is different.
5. Do state laws determine whether adoption financial assistance payments are legal?
Birth mother expenses are directly addressed by Indiana state law. Payment of birth mother expenses such as temporary housing, medical costs, and other living expenses deemed reasonable by the court is legal. Some states limit the amount of adoption financial assistance, and Indiana does have maximum limits on some categories of assistance.
Those limitations are:
- Total living expenses cannot exceed $3,000 unless previously approved by the court.
- Payment of living expenses will not continue longer than six weeks after the child’s birth, and post-birth expenses cannot exceed $1,000.
- Compensation due to unemployment will be offset by the living expenses paid and unemployment compensation the birth parent is entitled to.
Again, the laws about adoption financial assistance are complex and vary by state. Please discuss birth mother expense payments with a licensed adoption professional to ensure compliance with the law. Though the answer to “Can I get paid for adoption in Indiana?” is no, there is legal assistance available from hopeful adoptive parents who want to help.
6. Who determines how much adoption financial assistance can be provided?
Can you get paid to give a baby up for adoption in Indiana? No, you can’t be paid for choosing adoption. However, you can get adoption financial assistance so long as payments are documented and recorded in a document provided to the family court before finalization.
In addition to the limitations on certain types of assistance that are stipulated by Indiana law, other factors may determine how much adoption financial assistance you may get, such as:
- Your standard of living before pregnancy
- The required standard of living to ensure the health and safety of you and your baby
- Other potential sources of financial assistance
- The adoption budget of the potential adoptive family
7. Where can you find more information on adoption financial assistance in Indiana?
The best thing to do if you’re still wondering, “Can I get paid for adoption in Indiana?” is to speak with an adoption professional. Your adoption agency can get you the answers you need to understand the laws surrounding adoption financial assistance in Indiana. To speak with a professional today, please complete our online form.
