Forgot to add, that there is minimal cost to adopt a child from foster care in MI. You do not pay for the homestudy. You may have costs incurred from getting physical exams at your doctor for you and your family, getting your pets updated with shots (i just did rabies for my indoor cats who are otherwise unvaxed), making any necessary changes to your home (repairs for example) needed to pass the home inspection, etc. Many of these expenses can be reimbursed through "nonrecurring adoption expenses" (i think its up to 1500 or maybe 2K) if your child qualifies as a special needs child (mine did not but most kids over three will)...you will also get a monthly adoption subsidy usually equal to whatever the child's foster care stipend was (basic amount is around 400/mo, a child with higher needs may be more), and a medicaid card, until the child turns 18. You will also likely qualify for the adoption tax credit, in which you can have a certain amount of your tax liability "forgiven"/returned, i think its something like 12K over five years (you can look up the specific details). You cant get back more than the taxes you paid in, which wouldnt have worked for me anyway since i have a lower income but can be great for people with a middle income. Kids who get a subsidy will qualify for the entire amount (given the other conditions are met) whereas other types of adoptions you can only get what your actual expenses were.
The only other expenses would be related to the fee to finalize, which is less than 200 dollars and the cost for the new birth cert. both of which are reimbursable as i've outlined above.
I did want to mention this, though when you are early in the process its soooo hard to not fall into this trap.
Please dont fall in love with this little boy. You likely will not be able to adopt him. Its hard! I know! i remember soooo many little faces i've inquired on over the years, even international kids i had no chance to adopt. I remember their names, their stories, their pics. Some i really thought i had a chance to adopt. I had my fantasies about them joining our family. I would even try out how their first name fit with our last name, or look at clothes in that probably size at the store. But those are just fantasies and the reality of THIS child is different, and the reality of older child adoption is different. I've told this story before, but i inquired on a cute little boy who liked trucks and videogames (or whatever) but when i got his expanded child profile, i learned he had mild MR, possible autism, psych hospital stays, sexual acting out, disrupted adoptions, etc.
There is often MUCH more that you will not see from a brief photolisting blurb.
Im not saying dont inquire, i think you definitely SHOULD. Get more info. But i just went and looked on the photolisting and if he is listed....well there are three six yr old boys listed, one has severe autism and the other two have severe behavior issues which likely require an experienced family or one willing to do TONS of research. Neither of those boys should probably share a room with another child, i'm guessing. Both probably have psychiatric diagnoses and likely have regular therapy and medication therapy as well. They may exhibit aggressive behaviors. One should not live with children or pets, the other should be the youngest (and when they say that, they dont mean just by a couple of years, they mean it may work out for him to live with teens or other nonvulnerable children)...i was really naive and hopeful when i began the process and i've become a bit more jaded.
Keep in mind, too, that in MI something like 90 percent of kids who are adopted are adopted by foster parents or relatives. The kids listed on MARE are *generally* the kids that are hardest to place, so if a six yr old child is listed (esp if that child is caucasian) there is likely significant issues present.
Not trying to scare ya! and you may know all this already....i just know how devastating it feels to think "i love this kid! i want this kid!" and then you get the profile and realize there is simply no way to parent this child and keep your other kids safe. (I was matched with a boy who had perped on his younger sibs, and i had a young toddler at home....what were they thinking?! it killed me to pass on him but i had no real choice.)
Also, if you really want to adopt, and not just adopt *this boy*...it is a good idea to find an agency, go through the process, and be matched with a child that way, than a child photolisted. Like i said, absolutely inquire on him, just dont be too crushed if he isnt "the one".
I fee like im being a downer so i'll stop now. Sorry.
for getting things started! I would love to have another bio child, but our ds has **severe allergies**, it really makes me hestitant to have another bio child.
I have found most people around here have mixed feelings about their agency though. I can tell you what agency to avoid though, as i had a horrible experience with them and another FM told me she heard awful things about them too.
