👶 True-cost guide

The true cost of having a baby. Plan for the first year and beyond.

Where the money goes in year one and after, a calculator for your own numbers, and the benefits to claim. Every figure links to its source.

Raising a child costs an average of $29,325 a year for the first five years with full-time infant day care, and $303,418 over 18 years, in LendingTree’s 2026 study.1 Pregnancy, birth and postpartum care add about $2,743 out of pocket on employer insurance.3 Your child care, location and benefits change the total.

The real number

Child care is the biggest bill.

1

Where the average $29,325 a year goes

LendingTree models a married, two-earner couple with one child and $99,999 in annual income. Much of its data is from 2024. Housing, food and transportation are additional costs compared with a household without a child.1

Child care$17,264/year

Full-time infant day care is the largest category.1

Other recurring costs$14,261/year

Food, transportation, health premiums, housing and clothing.1

Tax credit−$2,200/year

The report assumes this credit; your eligibility may differ.112

LendingTree’s 2026 breakdown.1

CategoryAnnual cost
Infant day care$17,264
Extra transportation$4,422
Extra food$4,208
Extra health premiums$3,638
Extra housing$1,680
Clothing$313
Federal child tax credit−$2,200
First five years, each year$29,325
2

The first year adds one-time costs

Peterson-KFF’s employer-plan analysis covers pregnancy, birth and postpartum care using 2021–2023 claims. Total health spending includes what insurance pays; use the out-of-pocket column for your household budget.3

Pregnancy-related spending, not just the hospital delivery bill.3

DeliveryTotal spendingOut of pocket
All deliveries$20,416$2,743
Vaginal$15,712$2,563
C-section$28,998$3,071

Diapers can cost $80–$100 or more a month.7 Gear starts at $0 in the calculator because we could not verify a national average. Enter quotes for your own crib, car seat and stroller. Child Care Aware reports $13,184 across care types and ages, or $15,636 for infant center care using an average-of-averages method.2 Its figure differs from LendingTree’s because the sources and methods differ; local prices vary. Care.com’s $332 weekly day-care figure annualizes to $17,264 over 52 weeks.5

3

After the day-care years

LendingTree estimates $12,061 annually for the next 13 years and $303,418 across 18 years, up 1.9% from $297,674. Its state totals range from $201,963 in New Hampshire to $412,661 in Hawaii.1 Brookings used a different model for a child born in 2015, estimating $310,605 with 4% inflation from 2021 onward.6 Neither estimate includes college. Leave, infant medical care and unexpected bills can add more.

Your numbers

Estimate your first year.

4

The first-year cost calculator

Start with the example, then replace it with your quotes. The first year includes birth, gear, diapers and lost take-home pay. The long-term illustration holds recurring costs and selected credits constant; it is not a tax forecast. The Child Tax Credit currently requires a child under 17, so it will not continue unchanged for all 18 years.12

More inputs
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Per month, year one—
Per year, first 5 years—
Per year, next 13 years—
18-year illustration—

    All inputs are editable. Birth: $2,743 employer-plan average.3 Paid child care: $17,264/year; family-care preset: $0 (an assumption, with unpaid leave entered separately). Extra food $4,208, health premiums $3,638, transportation $4,422, housing $1,680 and clothing $313 are LendingTree’s annual figures.1 Diapers: our $90/month example, midway in the $80–$100 range.7 Gear, unpaid leave and FSA start at $0; weekly pay and FSA tax rate are blank: enter yours. Child tax credit: $2,200, the 2026 maximum, not a promise of eligibility.12 FSA savings use the lesser of your eligible election, $7,500 and care costs; enter your applicable limit if lower (including married filing separately), and your marginal tax rate.13 No dependent-care credit is modeled, so the same expenses are not counted twice.

    Useful next stepBuild a cushion before baby: check your emergency fund
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    Before baby arrives

    Check the benefits available to you.

    5

    Add your baby to your health plan on time

    Birth triggers a Special Enrollment Period. Marketplace plans usually allow 60 days; job-based plans must allow at least 30.8 Ask which coverage tier applies: adding a baby does not always mean moving from single to family coverage. KFF’s 2025 average worker contribution for family coverage was $6,850 a year; it is not the extra cost of one child.9 Newborns in its claims study averaged $475 out of pocket in their first months, separate from the parent’s birth costs.3 Add your expected infant medical costs to the birth-cost input if you want them included.

    Useful next stepSee how a new deduction changes your take-home pay
    Explore →
    6

    Parental leave: paid and protected are different

    FMLA gives eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for a birth.10 BLS found 27% of civilian workers had access to paid family leave in March 2023; its definition changes for 2026, so that is a dated benchmark.11 Check state programs and your employer’s policy. In the calculator, enter only unpaid weeks and the take-home pay you would lose.

    7

    Tax breaks and benefits

    For tax year 2026, the Child Tax Credit maximum is $2,200 per qualifying child, with up to $1,700 refundable. Age, income, Social Security number and other rules apply; enter only the amount you expect to claim.12 A dependent care FSA can exclude up to $7,500 starting in 2026 if offered by your employer; your filing status and eligibility can lower the limit.13 Ask about the Child and Dependent Care Credit too; the same care expenses cannot support both benefits. The calculator does not model that credit.

    The Trump Account pilot offers a $1,000 deposit for eligible U.S.-citizen children born in 2025–2028 with a valid Social Security number, elected using Form 4547. It is long-term savings, not cash for current bills.14

    Useful next stepOpen enrollment? Check your 401(k) match too
    Explore →
    8

    A plan for the months before

    Price care earlyAsk about waitlists and registration fees.
    Practice the budgetSave the difference before your costs change.
    Reduce costly debtMake space in your monthly cash flow.
    Useful next stepBuild a debt payoff plan
    Explore →
    9

    Questions worth asking

    1. HR: What leave is paid? Is there a care FSA? When must I enroll the baby?
    2. Insurer: Are the hospital and pediatrician in network? What are my deductible and out-of-pocket maximum?
    3. Child care: What is included, what costs extra and what happens on sick days?
    Useful next stepPut your new costs alongside your other goals
    Explore →
    Post on X

    Sources and assumptions

    1. LendingTree, "It Costs an Additional $303,418 to Raise a Child Over 18 Years, Up 1.9%" (updated Apr. 6, 2026)
    2. Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2025 Price & Supply" (published May 2026)
    3. Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, "Health costs associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and infant care" (2021–2023 claims)
    4. KFF summary of the same analysis
    5. Care.com, 2026 Cost of Care Report ($332/week × 52 = $17,264/year)
    6. Brookings, "It’s getting more expensive to raise children…" (Aug. 30, 2022)
    7. National Diaper Bank Network, Diaper Need overview (June 2024, PDF)
    8. HealthCare.gov, "Special Enrollment Period (SEP)"
    9. KFF, 2025 Employer Health Benefits Survey news release (Oct. 22, 2025)
    10. U.S. Department of Labor, Family and Medical Leave Act (updated Jan. 26, 2026)
    11. BLS, "What data does the BLS publish on family leave?" (modified Sept. 29, 2026; March 2023 data)
    12. IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32, section 3.05: 2026 Child Tax Credit
    13. IRS, correction to the dependent care benefits exclusion for 2026, $7,500 under P.L. 119-21 (Sept. 11, 2026)
    14. IRS, Trump Accounts

    Sources checked October 18, 2026. Publication years and study populations differ. All starting values are editable; assumptions are labeled beside the calculator.

    Educational only, not financial, tax, legal or medical advice. This guide summarizes U.S. averages. Your contracts, quotes, benefits and eligibility determine your costs. The calculator runs in your browser, and the numbers you type never leave your device.

    Common questions

    How much does it cost to have a baby in the first year?

    There is no single official number. Using LendingTree’s 2026 averages ($29,325 a year in the early years, including $17,264 for full-time infant day care), Peterson-KFF’s $2,743 average out-of-pocket cost for pregnancy, birth and postpartum care on an employer plan, and diapers at $80 to $100 a month, a first year with paid child care can run about $33,000. Without paid child care it is far lower.

    Source 1

    How much does it cost to raise a child to 18?

    LendingTree’s 2026 study puts it at $303,418, or $16,857 a year on average, for a two-earner married couple at the median family income. That is not adjusted for inflation and does not include college. Brookings estimated $310,605 for a middle-income child born in 2015, assuming 4% inflation.

    Source 1

    How much does it cost to give birth with insurance?

    For people with employer health plans, Peterson-KFF found pregnancy, birth and postpartum care averaged $20,416 in total, with $2,743 paid out of pocket (2021–2023 claims). A vaginal delivery averaged $15,712 ($2,563 out of pocket) and a C-section $28,998 ($3,071 out of pocket).

    Source 3

    When do I need to add my baby to my health insurance?

    Having a baby qualifies you for a Special Enrollment Period. On the Marketplace you usually have 60 days, and job-based plans must give you at least 30 days. Call HR or your insurer soon after the birth so you don’t miss the window.

    Source 8

    What tax breaks help with the cost of a baby?

    The Child Tax Credit is worth up to $2,200 per qualifying child, with up to $1,700 refundable, if you meet the IRS rules. Starting in 2026, a dependent care FSA can cover up to $7,500 of child care per household with pre-tax money if your employer offers one. The Child and Dependent Care Credit may also help.

    Source 12

    Is parental leave paid in the U.S.?

    FMLA itself does not require paid leave. It gives eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for a birth. BLS found 27% of civilian workers had access to paid family leave in March 2023. Some states run their own paid leave programs, so check your state and your employer.

    Source 10

    What is the $1,000 Trump Account for babies?

    It is a federal pilot deposit of $1,000 into a new Trump Account for U.S.-citizen children with a valid Social Security number born from 2025 through 2028. Parents elect it on IRS Form 4547. It is long-term savings for the child, not money for today’s bills.

    Source 14
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