While researching options for adoptive families who are in need of some kind of financial assistance for their adoption, I came across the following information. Military families who are adopting are entitled to adoption benefits! In all my research I had never seen this information, and wonder if it is widely publicized. So if any of you out there are military families, the following is for you.

Full time members of the United States military are entitled to a one time adoption benefit. This benefit is available to married couples as well as singles and can apply to a single child or adoption or the adoption of a sibling set. A single child adoption may receive a benefit of up to $2000 and siblings may receive up to $5000.

Areas that the benefits cover are similar to the areas that the tax credit or private adoption grants cover: legal fees, adoption agency fees and medical fees for a newborn or birthmother are all applicable areas. Travel fees are not eligible to be covered under this program. Benefits are paid to the military family after the adoption is finalized, and they will only remit payment to non profit adoption agencies.

The Child Welfare Information Gateway offers an excellent webpage that provides information for adoptive military families. There you will find links to many pages that offer support to military families, some specifically including adoptive families.

The National Military Family Association (NMFA) should be able to assist families who have more questions about the adoption benefit. Here is the link to the fact sheet that lays out all of the information for the “DoD Adoption Reimbursement Program.”The fact sheet is impressive and offers information about post placement services that are available for adoptive families as well as some adoption advice.

For even more information, please see this page on Adoption.com that provides further information about the military adoption benefit.

More Reading:
Adoption Fundraising: What Worked For Us
How Can I Afford to Adopt?
Adoption ABC’s – Money

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