[KoughGirl]

Hi my name is Kristin and I have decided after much thought and pray that adoption is for me. I am 29 almost 30 and single. I am searching for agencies and any info on Vietnam and Guatemala.


With being single, I can't afford to spend anymore than I have to. I'm living at home w/ my parents now, so I can afford to do the adoption.

Could anyone give me some info on where to look for adoption loans. I found a couple of home studies in PA, but I want to make sure I can get the loan before I start the whole process.


Also any advice on reasonable priced agencies? I've been looking into Vietnam and Guatemala, because they allow singles to adopt. I've only found 1 or 2 agencies that aren't over the top price wise.


If you're from Western PA and have had any good experiences with anything, please share any info that you can w/ me.

Thank you all so much, Kristin

[wannahave3]

We are in PA also. Your homestudy agency needs to be in state but your placement agency does not. We used a local HS agency (I wouldn't recommend them) and a Texas placement agency (whom I adored). Just a thought...

Congratulations on your decision to adopt and good luck on your journey!

[Mom4Nicholas]

I live in Wilmington, De and am single. All I can say is that Guatemala is the most expensive adoption program, so keep that in mind. Dont know anythig about how to get loans. Do a lot of agency research before you begin, and choosing based on price could be a mistake. Good Luck.

[KoughGirl]

Thanks so much for the info. I so appreciate it.

[moelladeville]

I'm single with two boys, and I live in Eastern PA. I'd echo what Mom4Nicholas says about choosing an agency based on price -- DON'T DO IT!!!!! Your agency choice is the single most important decision you will make. Get references. Check them. Send private messages to those on this board who have used agencies you're thinking of.

I used a local social services agency for my home study, and it was significantly less (about half the cost) of the one recommended by my agency.

As far as loans -- I financed my adoption with a home equity loan. Since you don't own your home, you may talk with your local bank about other types of loans. Or perhaps you could ask your parents to take out a home equity loan and pay them back.

Good luck. I think you're smart for starting so young. I wish I had!

Marjorie

[2bASingleMom]

Hi Kristin!

I can only re-iterate what folks here have said. The price of the agency could quickly change if they're sub par and you have to pay for add'l foster care and Adoption Supervisors to get you through. Not to mention - you don't want the mental anguish! I'll PM you with (albeit unsolicited) my agency info - I'm going to pickup late next week and I've been thrilled with them.

I wish that I had advice for you on costs (but like others I'm using a home equity line of credit). There are definitely grants out there - but be careful of those offering you things that appear to good to be true (not to scare you, but there has been a person on this board that is pretty unethical and she offers things that don't exist). Also, remember that there is a tax credit of ~$10K that you can get at the end of the year that your adoption is final.

Finally - there have been postings in the past about financing your adoption. YOu can search the threads (but I haven't gotten searches to work very well - maybe user error) or hopefully someone else will post.

Good luck!

Hi Kristin,


I am also single and just brought home my second child. I also used a Texas placement agency that I loved despite living in KS. Guatemala is expensive, no question, but I would agree that you should not be led by cost alone when choosing an agency! You may "pay" for it dearly later on!

Good Luck!
Amy

[Bexter]

I'm single,too. The best advice I can give you is don't base your agency choice on price. Base it on quality. Research, research, and research some more. This board is the best place to find the good and bad agencies. Then talk to the good agencies recommended on this board, and pick who you are most comfortable talking to. Believe me, you will be talking a lot during the process.

I almost made a bad choice before finding this board, and am very happy with who I went with. I'll PM you with my agency info.

[JLStoltzie]

I'm from Eastern Pennsylvania. I did happen to find a Home Study a lot cheaper than some agencies say. Look around... Lot's of Luck to you!!

[drworm]

I live in northern WV, near Pittsburgh. I hired a social worker to do my homestudy, which was considerably cheaper than using an agency--check to see if that is an option in PA. Guatemala IS the most expensive program but the bulk of the money goes to the lawyers in Guatemala, not your homestudy agency or international agency. Don't worry about using an out-of-state international agency--do your research and hire the very best one you can. (The agency "sticky" at the top of this forum was an invaluable source of information for me.) Our agency is in SC and they've been fabulous--PM me if you'd like more info.

We just bought a house two years ago and had little equity accumulated, so we took out a personal loan instead. Or, you can ask your parents to take out a home equity loan and pay them back (which I think someone else also suggested earlier). Look at it this way: the entire adoption process costs about the same as a new car--and no one would think twice if you applied for a car loan.

Is Vietnam open? They were closed to US adoptions for a while, although I think the US and Vietnamese governments just recently signed an agreement of some sort.

Good luck
pam