[sak9645]

MsDizzyDolores:

First off, your salary must be included in your homestudy report, by the laws of most states, the USCIS, and many foreign countries.

Second, single women making $35,000 a year are generally able to adopt internationally or domestically, with no problems. For homestudy purposes, virtually all states would consider this income perfectly adequate, as long as you are able to live on your income without excessive debt and to save a little money for emergencies. This may be easier in some states than others, and your homestudy will take this into account.

The USCIS requires that you earn only 125% of poverty level income for a family of your size, to be approved to bring an orphan into the country; for a single woman in the continental U.S., adopting one child, that amount is only about $17,000.

And most countries either have no minimum income requirement, relying on homestudy and USCIS approval, or set income minimums that are very low. Remember that a salary of $35,000 may seem quite princely to a person in some of the countries from which Americans adopt. According to one set of figures I saw, the per capita income in Ethiopia was approximately $710 per year in 2003.

Some countries, such as China (which no longer allows adoptions by singles), do want to see a formal financial statement, showing assets that exceed liabilities and income exceeding expenses. But they do not generally require a very high net worth, or huge amounts in the bank.

China, for example, requires couples to have a net worth of $80,000, but that is really quite modest, since net worth is the difference between "what you own and what you owe."

For example, if a couple has $60,000 of equity in a house, a paid-off car currently worth $10,000, $5,000 in a 401K plan, and $5,000 in savings, that couple can qualify. (Equity means the difference between a home's value and the amount of the mortgage, so if you own a $150,000 home and still owe $100,000 on your mortgage, your equity in the house is $50,000.)

I would suggest that, since you already have an approved homestudy, you should get started with your adoption before the homestudy expires -- probably in a year, depending on your state of residence. You do not want to run up a lot of extra costs getting updates, if you don't have to do so.

While it is certainly not a bad idea to look at placement agencies within your state first, there is no reason for limiting yourself to working with placement agencies in your state, if you want to do an international adoption. Only Korea requires people to work with an agency from their home state; other countries say that you can work with a U.S. agency in any state, as long as you have a local homestudy.

Do remember that, when you choose a country, you may need a homestudy update to reflect the requirements of that country. For example, some countries want a formal statement in the homestudy about why you want to adopt from that country or how you will teach a child about her birth country's culture. Other countries may want a statement indicating that you are heterosexual. And so on.

India is not the easiest country from which to adopt, but there are some good agencies working in it, that can help minimize the risk of problems. There have always been relatively few agencies working in Nepal, because of the country's instability, but if the country opens up, you may be able to find one that is willing to help you. In either case, be sure to check out an agency very carefully before signing on with it.

Also, do remember that some countries are more single-friendly than others. I have certainly met singles who have adopted from both India and Nepal, but certain other countries, such as Vietnam and Ethiopia, may be more single-friendly at this time. Talk to agencies about what they are experiencing with single applicants.

As to whether you should adopt internationally or domestically, there is no right or wrong answer. It is purely a personal decision. Some singles do feel that international adoption gives them a greater likelihood of finding a healthy infant or young toddler, although I have met singles who have managed to adopt such children domestically, usually through private adoption.

Domestic adoption through the foster care system is often virtually cost-free. However, at least in most states, it may be difficult to adopt a healthy infant; most of the available children will be considerably older, and/or will have special needs. However, if you are worried about the cost of adoption, you may want to at least investigate adopting from the foster care system.

Domestic adoption through a private agency can be very expensive, if you want a healthy infant, especially a Caucasian infant, and there can be a very long wait for a referral. Some agencies may also discourage singles because most of the pregnant women they serve prefer to place their children with couples; nowadays, agencies honor such requests. Still, domestic adoption through a reputable, licensed agency can be a very safe and positive experience.

Domestic private adoption is high risk, because the chance of getting scammed or having a pregnant woman back out of an adoption plan is high. However, it is the approach of choice for some singles because they feel they'll have a better chance of finding pregnant women willing to place their babies with singles. While private adoption can be fairly low-cost, if a pregnant woman is found quickly and she goes through with an adoption plan, some people have found costs mounting steeply because of scams and fall-throughs before they successfully complete an adoption.

Whether you choose international adoption or any form of domestic adoption, remember that you are probably eligible to benefit from the adoption tax credit, which is currently up to nearly $11,000. (How much you benefit is related to your income, your tax situation, and the amount you spend on an adoption.) While you can't take the credit BEFORE you adopt, it can really help you later.


Sharon