Many parents rely on support from the State of North Carolina when they make the decision to adopt. There are many programs available through the State of North Carolina to help make adoptions successful. Support may be financial, but there are many social and emotional supports available to adopting families too.
What adoption assistance does the State of North Carolina offer?
Assistance from the State of North Carolina can be a great way to help you get the support that you need before, during and after the adoption process. If you’re considering adoption or you’ve already adopted, you may be wondering what adoption help North Carolina offers. Here is the adoption assistance provided by the State of North Carolina:
Adoption subsidy in North Carolina
One of the most notable types of adoption available in North Carolina is the adoption subsidy. The state adoption subsidy provides financial assistance to qualifying children. Qualifying children receive monthly payments to offset the costs of raising a child. The payments continue each month until the child reaches the age of majority.
What is the purpose of the North Carolina adoption subsidy?
The purpose of the adoption subsidy is to encourage people to adopt. The subsidy can help defray the costs of raising the child or make it financially possible for a family to adopt when they may not be able to adopt otherwise. The State of North Carolina uses the adoption incentive in order to reduce barriers that children have for adoption.
Does my child qualify for North Carolina adoption payments?
Not all children qualify for the adoption subsidy. Children qualify to receive the adoption subsidy based on qualifying characteristics that may make them less likely to find an adoptive family without financial assistance. Qualifying characteristics may include membership in a sibling group, older age of the child, membership in a minority group or physical and emotional disabilities. The child must also be legally available for adoption in order to receive the subsidy.
What’s the amount of the adoption subsidy in North Carolina?
The amount of the adoption subsidy depends on the specific circumstances of the child. The subsidy begins at $475 per month for a young child with no special considerations. Older children qualify to receive up to $634. If a child has complex medical care needs, they may qualify to receive up to $1,600 in monthly subsidies until they reach adulthood.
The adoption subsidy begins after the adoption is complete. It ends when the child turns 18 years old. The State of North Carolina adoption subsidy is a welcome resource that helps the parents of qualifying children defray some of the financial costs associated with adoption.
Reimbursement of qualifying expenses
There are significant costs associated with adoption before you even complete the adoption process. Adoptive parents must pay court fees, home study fees and even attorney fees. Parents of qualifying children can get help with these expenses.
The State of North Carolina reimburses parents of qualifying children up to $2,000 for directly-incurred adoption expenses. Only qualifying children are eligible for the reimbursement program. The reimbursement is direct; a parent may receive reimbursement for 100 percent of their expenses up to the limit of $2,000 for the adoption.
Medical assistance
One of the biggest costs of raising a child is medical care. Children need medical insurance, and they also need medical care. The State of North Carolina offers state medical insurance for qualifying adopted children through the Medicaid system. Qualified children can take advantage of a wide range of benefits that include doctor’s visits, hospitalization and prescription drugs. State of North Carolina medical assistance can help parents adopt with the assurance that their adopted children can receive appropriate medical care without a burdensome expense to the family.
Online resources
The State of North Carolina offers online resources to adopting families. These resources help adoptive parents find information and answer questions that they have about adoption. Parents can read about the types of assistance that are available to adopting families. They can learn about qualifications for financial assistance and medical care.
In addition to online resources for financial support, online resources can point adopting families to social and emotional support services. Parents can access support for adoptive families and social supports that are available to all children with special needs. Online resources can be a great way for North Carolina adoptive families to learn what help is available. Adoptive parents can find what assistance programs may be right for them and how they can begin to take advantage of available resources.
Support groups, counseling and advocacy
There are support groups, counseling and advocacy groups for adoptive parents throughout North Carolina. These resources are often organized by county. Social services support may help you connect to peer-to-peer mentorship and support programs. You may find counseling and advocacy resources. Training is another important resource available to adoptive parents. The State of North Carolina recognizes how critically important social supports can be before, during and after adoption. North Carolina prioritizes having social supports available for all adoptive families.
Is there a State of North Carolina adoption tax credit?
There is a federal tax credit that parents can take advantage of when they adopt. The eligibility criteria for the federal tax credit is more expansive than the criteria for the North Carolina adoption subsidy. Even if you don’t qualify to take advantage of state subsidy payments, there’s a good chance that you still qualify for the federal tax credits. There’s no State of North Carolina tax credit that applies directly to state taxes. However, the federal tax credit applies to any qualifying taxpayer in North Carolina.
Adoption assistance in the State of North Carolina
The State of North Carolina offers a range of financial and emotional support to adoptive families. The State of North Carolina helps children overcome barriers to adoption by providing cash assistance and medical insurance to qualifying children. In addition, there are social support resources and advocacy resources available to all adoptive families.
Understanding your eligibility for North Carolina adoption supports can be complex. Bobby Mills can help you determine what resources you may qualify for when you pursue an adoption. Whether you’re considering growing your family through adoption or you’ve completed the adoption process, you may qualify for helpful resources. Bobby can help you ensure that you understand what resources are available to you and how to access them as you make the decision to adopt.