An unexpected pregnancy can overwhelm you financially. If you find yourself in that position, maybe you’ve thought about adoption. After all, the financial aspects of raising a child can be difficult to manage.

Struggling with finances can be difficult at any time, let alone when you become pregnant. If that describes your situation, you may wonder, “Does a mother of a baby get paid for adoption?” or “Is giving a baby up for adoption free in Texas?”

Here’s the most important thing you need to know: Adoption is always free for you.

Still, regulations surrounding financial assistance for birth mothers vary between states. Making sense of adoption law can be tough for a prospective birth mother unless professional assistance is available. An unplanned pregnancy can be overwhelming, and deciphering adoption policy by yourself can make understanding the rules even more difficult.

You may have many questions about rules related to financial assistance for adoption, like:

• How much does it cost to give a child up for adoption?
• Is it free to give a baby up for adoption in Texas?
• Do adoption families house and pay you?
• Do adoption agencies pay birth mothers in Texas?
• Is there financial assistance for adoption in Texas?

If you’re facing unplanned pregnancy and thinking about adoption, please know that financial assistance for adoption is available in Texas. For some birth mothers, the financial impact of an unplanned pregnancy may not be that important. Regardless, learning what you can expect financially in an adoption will improve your planning.

Because adoption financial assistance in Texas can be difficult to grasp, you work with an adoption professional who can help you navigate the adoption process. For a list of adoption agencies that help birth mothers in Texas, click here. To speak with an adoption professional, visit this link.

In the meantime, here are seven common questions about adoption financial assistance and the average cost of giving a baby up for adoption in Texas.

1. Is putting a baby up for adoption free in Texas?

There isn’t a cost to give a baby up for adoption in Texas. Adoption is always free for the birth mother. The financial impact of pre-natal care, other medical costs, and living expenses may be a concern for an expectant mother, and additional costs for placing a child would be excessive.

If you’re an expectant mother considering adoption, you should know most costs associated with pregnancy, labor, and delivery will not fall to you when you choose adoption. These costs can be covered through financial assistance for putting baby up for adoption in Texas.

2. Can I get money for giving my baby up for adoption?

You may have heard a common misconception that you can get paid to give your baby up for adoption in Texas. That’s simply untrue. Both federal statutes and Texas law prohibit adoption for compensation directly to birth parents.

Adoption for compensation is a crime, and its consequences can be criminal prosecution. When money or anything of value is offered to prospective birth parents in exchange for placing a child for adoption, that’s human trafficking.

“Getting paid for adoption” is different from “adoption financial assistance,” though. We’ll explain this more below.

3. Can you get paid for adoption by adoption agencies in Texas?

Getting money for putting your baby up for adoption in Texas from anyone is illegal. Texas state regulations and federal law prohibit any form of compensation to birth parents from adoptive parents, payments from adoption agencies, or payments offered by any person acting on behalf of a prospective adoptive family.

It’s important to avoid adoptive couples or agencies that offer payment that falls outside legally allowable birth mother expenses. The consequences of accepting compensation for giving baby up for adoption are harsh.

Birth mothers don’t get paid for adoption in Texas, but you can receive financial assistance. Many birth mothers are entitled to financial assistance from adoptive parents and adoption agencies that help with living expenses. Expenses incurred by the birth mother before, during, and up to six weeks after the birth are eligible to be paid in Texas.

4. Is there financial assistance for adoption in Texas?

An unplanned pregnancy can create chaos for a woman, including financial uncertainty. That uncertainty may include financial impacts related to healthcare, necessary prenatal nutrition, and additional lifestyle costs. You may be limited in your ability to work while you’re pregnant as well. These factors conspire to create financial anxiety for birth mothers.

Though you can’t get paid to give your baby up for adoption in Texas, you’re not alone in financial terms. In Texas, adoption financial assistance for birth mothers is available, and it comes in many forms.

Adoption financial assistance for birth mothers offsets the additional costs of carrying and delivering your baby. That may include living expenses and the cost of medical care for you and your baby.

Payment for birth mothers in Texas is allowed so long as the expenses fall into one of these categories:

• Living expenses: In Texas, living expenses for birth mothers can be paid by the adoptive family or an adoption agency. These expenses can include birthmother housing, food, utilities, and other expenses that the court deems necessary.
• Medical expenses: The cost of medical care can be high for prospective birth mothers. Texas law allows prospective adoptive families to pay for medical care and hospital costs for both the birth mother and baby.
• Legal expenses: Legal expenses can also be burdensome for prospective birth mothers. Texas law allows adoption agencies and adoptive parents to cover those costs.
• Adoption resources: A good adoption agency is critical for prospective birth mothers. Agencies coordinate adoption opportunities and provide counseling and important resources for birth mothers. Potential adoptive families in Texas can pay for the costs of those agencies.
• Other expenses: Even expenses that aren’t enumerated by Texas law may be payable if the court decides they’re reasonable.

5. What rules govern the payment of expenses to birth mothers?

For adoption financial assistance to be administered legally, specific criteria must be observed to make sure any expense payments are made legally under Texas law.

To make sure your financial assistance is legal, consult an adoption professional. While giving your baby up for adoption for money in Texas is illegal, there are legal ways to get assistance from potential adoptive parents who want to help you with the costs of carrying a child.

6. What birth mother expenses cannot be paid by prospective adoptive parents?

Texas adoption law provides leeway to the courts in determining what expenses can be considered allowable. In fact, no expenses are expressly prohibited by name under Texas law. However, some types of expenses simply wouldn’t be considered reasonable by the court.

For example, if a birth mother needs help paying a water bill, that is generally thought of as a reasonable expense. Running water is essential to the health and wellness of the mother and her child, so that’s an expense that qualifies for adoption financial assistance.

However, if a prospective adoptive family purchases a new luxury car for a birth mother, the court probably wouldn’t deem that allowable. It would likely be considered exchanging something of value for putting a child up for adoption. It may be considered illegal compensation for placing a baby for adoption in Texas.

7. Where can I get more information about adoption financial assistance?

Getting legal adoption financial assistance for birth mothers in Texas can be challenging without an adoption professional to act as your advocate during the adoption process. The good news is that help is only a call or email away.

Be sure to seek counsel from a licensed adoption agency in Texas as you navigate the financial impact of placing a child for adoption. You can find an adoption agency specializing in birth mothers at this link.