When facing an unexpected pregnancy, you should know one of your options is placing your child up for adoption. If you‘ve considered it, you may have wondered, “Can I get paid for adoption in Pennsylvania?”
We discuss this issue in more detail below, but first, we want you to know these three things:
- You can get help.
- There’s adoption financial assistance in Pennsylvania.
- You won’t have to pay for putting a child up for adoption.
Can you get paid for adoption in Pennsylvania? There’s no compensation for choosing adoption, but there is financial assistance. If you’re asking, “Can you get paid for adoption in Pennsylvania?,” you should talk to your adoption professional for answers. If you haven’t yet found one, please complete our online form to talk to someone when you’re ready. For now, read on to learn more.
1. What Will I Have to Pay to Put My Baby Up for Adoption?
There’s no charge for putting your baby up for adoption in Pennsylvania. You have a right to choose adoption when facing an unexpected pregnancy. Pregnancy and delivery are already costly, so tacking on additional expenses for adoption would be unfair and unethical.
2. Can You Get Paid for Adoption in Pennsylvania?
You cannot “get paid” for adoption, no matter what anyone else tells you. Adoption for compensation is illegal across the U.S. Lots of states allow pregnancy and delivery costs for pregnant women to be paid by potential adoptive parents through adoption financial assistance, however. Adoption financial assistance isn’t compensation since it’s given freely as a charitable act.
Compensation offered or accepted for placing a child for adoption is considered human trafficking and may lead to prosecution. Prohibited payments for adoption may include monetary enticements and anything else of value offered or accepted for placing a child in an adoptive home.
Can you get paid for adoption in Pennsylvania? No, but you can get assistance with adoption-related expenses, and it’s completely legal. That financial assistance must be provided charitably by hopeful parents to pay pregnancy, labor, and delivery expenses.
3. Can You Get Paid to Give a Baby Up for Adoption in Pennsylvania By an Agency?
Can you get paid for adoption in Pennsylvania by your adoption agency? No, adoption for compensation is illegal whether an individual or agency offers prohibited payments for adoption. That includes all forms of compensation from potential adoptive parents, adoption agencies, or other representatives of prospective adoptive families.
We recommend you distance yourself from any agencies or individuals proposing illegal compensation for adoption. It’s against the law and can lead to prosecution for human trafficking. Avoid any individual or agency offering such payments in exchange for adoption.
Can you get paid for adoption in Pennsylvania by an adoption agency? You can’t accept payment for adoption from anyone or any agency. However, your agency can assist you with getting the financial help you need to pay pregnancy-related expenses. Birth mother expenses accrued before, during, and soon after pregnancy and birth are eligible for financial assistance in Pennsylvania.
4. What Expenses Can Be Covered with Adoption Financial Assistance?
Unexpected pregnancy can cause significant financial stress for pregnant women who aren’t prepared to have a baby. The extra cost of groceries, healthcare, and lifestyle adjustments can be burdensome, and that dynamic can be complicated by a limited capacity to work late in pregnancy.
Can you get paid for adoption in Pennsylvania? No, but there is financial assistance for adoption available for paying pregnancy-related costs. It can cover expenses such as cost of living increases and healthcare fees. Expenses that can be paid through birth mother financial assistance include:
- Adoption costs: Pregnant women have a right to professional support from a licensed adoption agency. Prospective adoptive families can pay for those services to help pregnant women.
- Medical expenses: Pregnancy-related healthcare is expensive, so Pennsylvania lets hopeful adoptive families cover medical care and hospital fees for pregnant women and their babies.
- Travel Costs: Even local travel costs can add up, so potential adoptive parents can help expectant birth mothers by paying for travel to medical and legal appointments.
- Living expenses: Many pregnant women see living expenses increase sharply during pregnancy. Therefore, expenses related to housing, food, and utilities can be paid by waiting adoptive parents.
- Legal costs: Adoption legal service costs can be a burden for some pregnant women, so state law allows hopeful adoptive parents to pay those costs as an act of charity.
If you’re in the last trimester of pregnancy or you’ve already given birth, there’s a chance you can still get adoption financial assistance. If you’re wondering, “Can I get paid for adoption in Pennsylvania?” in either of those situations, talk to a professional to find out more about your options.
5. Does Pennsylvania Regulate the Amount of Financial Assistance You Can Get?
Birth mother expenses are directly addressed in Pennsylvania state law. Reasonable expenses like housing, transportation costs, medical costs, legal fees, adoption agency costs, and other reasonable living expenses can be paid as adoption financial assistance.
There’s no cap on the amount of adoption financial assistance stipulated in state law. However, a detailed accounting of the expenses paid must be submitted to the court before adoption finalization.
Please speak with a licensed adoption professional about adoption financial assistance to ensure you’re complying with state law. Though the answer to “Can I get paid for adoption in Pennsylvania?” is no, legal financial assistance can help you pay pregnancy-related expenses.
6. Are There Other Factors That Determine the Amount of Help Pregnant Women Get?
Can you get paid to give a baby up for adoption in Pennsylvania? No, but you can get financial assistance. Though there’s no cap on that assistance in Pennsylvania, other factors could influence the amount of adoption financial assistance you receive. They include:
- Your current standard of living.
- The standard of living needed for you and your baby to remain in good health.
- The number of dependents you care for.
- Other possible sources of financial assistance.
- The adoption budget of the potential adoptive family.
7. Where Can You Get More Details on Adoption Financial Assistance in Pennsylvania?
If you still can’t answer the question, “Can I get paid for adoption in Pennsylvania?” it’s time to seek assistance from an adoption professional. They’ll help you understand the laws surrounding adoption financial assistance in Pennsylvania. If you don’t have an agency, you can connect with a professional today by completing our online form.
