Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade this summer, the news cycle has been filled with myths about adoption. The Washington Post went as far as to decry adoption as an alternative to abortion. Yet another common tactic is to scare prospective adoptive families into believing that adoption isn’t financially feasible.

No one will dispute that for prospective parents seeking private domestic or international adoption, there are significant costs involved. The average cost of an international adoption ranges from $35,000 to $50,000, whereas the average cost for domestic adoption ranges from $20,000 to $40,000. By comparison, the cost of adoption from foster care is generally underwritten in whole or in part by the federal and state governments — families can expect costs of $5,000 or less.