We Will Guide You Through The Financial Resources Available For Adoptive Families

While an adoption is a positive event premised upon creating a forever family, sometimes life does not turn out as planned. Families facing failed adoptions often need legal assistance in resolving their adoption issues and perhaps dissolving the adoption. Other times, a planned placement fails to finalize as planned, third parties may intervene, and a contested adoption (court action) may occur. Ms. Eisenman often works with such families. She routinely works at the Appellate Court level and has Supreme Court experience. 

Ms. Eisenman has dealt with many such cases. When all else seems hopeless, she will help get everything sorted out to get you the best results. Her feeling is that family is a basic right and families are formed in varying lifestyles and beliefs. She has provided legal services for a variety of adoptions including single parents, LGBTQ, grandparent headed families, military families, foreign, interfaith families, and inter-racial families.
Contested Adoptions — Mother Holding Adopted Child in Columbus, OH

Ohio IV-E Adoption Subsidies

     One of the fundamental roles of government is to protect the children. In this role, the State provides education and public health measures. 


      The Ohio Supreme Court has held that the State has a compelling interest in securing safe, permanent homes at the earliest possible moment for children in need of homes. 


      The Federal government supports this function by helping to finance foster care and adoption programs. This Federal-State program is called Title IV-E. Within this benefit package is a joint Federal-State program for adoption subsidies.


      The purpose of this program is to encourage the adoption of special needs children. Although partially supported by Federal monies, the bulk of the program is administered by the States. In Ohio, the State has delegated the task of administering the program to the Counties.


      Unless the child is receiving Social Security Disability payments, the child must be in the custody of an agency. The child must also have a recognized special need such as Down Syndrome. 


      The need must be assessed by a master’s degree-level professional. The amount of subsidy is to be negotiated between the family and the agency. There are Federal guidelines for the negotiations of the subsidy amount. It is important for the family to document the impact of the special need on their day-to-day lives.


      It may also be appropriate to ask for a re-evaluation of the foster care level of care designation. The foster care level is usually the cap for the amount of the original subsidy.

 

      The subsidy begins when the adoption occurs and ends when the child turns Eighteen (18) years old or leaves high school. If the special need is severe, the subsidy may be extended until the child is Twenty-One (21) years old. 


      It can be increased. It can, with the consent of the adoptive parents, be reduced. 


Ohio Non-reoccurring Subsidies

     In addition to the on-going IV-E subsidy, there is a subsidy to cover some of the cost to finalize an adoption. The maximum amount of the subsidy is One-Thousand Dollars ($1,000). It is a reimbursement program meaning the family has to spend the money prior to applying for the grant. 

Ohio Adoption Grant

            The State of Ohio has enacted an adoption grant program for eligible residents. It varies from Ten-Thousand Dollars ($10,000) for each adoption to Twenty-Thousand Dollars ($20,000) for the adoption of a special needs child. Adoptive parents may apply after the adoption has been finalized. The Grant is administered by the State of Ohio. 

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Ohio Adoption Loans

     The State of Ohio will guarantee low interest loans for Adoptive parents. Apply for the loan at your own bank. See Treasure of Ohio Website. 

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Federal Tax Credit

     In the tax year after the adoption is finalized, the Adoptive parents can receive a dollar-for-dollar credit off their Federal income taxes. If the adoption involved a special needs child, the family is entitled to the full credit ($14,000 +/-) without itemization of the expenses. For non-special needs adoptions, the expenses must be itemized.

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Additional Resources

Employment Related benefits

 Many employers provide an adoption benefit for their employees. It is usually a reimbursement paid the year after the adoption was finalized. The amount of the benefit varies based upon your employer. It never hurts to speak with your employer to see if they offer such benefits. 


Grants

 There are charitable organizations which make grants to adoptive parents in order to help cover the cost of adoption. For more information check with your adoption professionals. 


Crowdfunding/Fundraising

 Some clients do private fundraising to support their adoption expenses such as a Go-Fund-Me. Caution should be employed to avoid the appearance of exploiting the child for the applicant’s financial benefit. Please feel free to contact Attorney Eisenman for additional advice regarding fundraising for adoptions. 


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We Work with Coaches and Organizations to Help You Financially

As a service to her clients, Attorney Eisenman works with foundations and coaches to help you financially. Adoption costs involve professional services from agencies and social workers, background clearances, travel, birth mother costs and other expenses. Attorney Eisenman does not want the costs associated with adoption to create a barrier for families.

Kelly Ellison, Adoption Finance Coach

Attorney Eisenman is pleased to announce that she is working with Kelly Ellison, adoption finance coach and creator of Your Adoption Finance Coach. To learn more, visit her website: Your Adoption Finance Coach

My Adoption Advisor

Another option to help you gather financial resources is My Adoption Advisor. For more information, click here.
For more information, or to schedule a consultation with Attorney Eisenman, call us at 614-326-1200.