Adoption Assistance for Active Duty Army Soldiers

Are you an active duty soldier in the Army? If so, you may qualify for the Adoption Assistance program. With this, you may be reimbursed up to $2,000 for expenses related to the adoption of a child under the age of 18. There is a maximum benefit of $5,000 per calendar year for soldiers adopting multiple children.

The main eligibility requirement is simple: you must be an active duty solder for at least six months.

This may not be the number one reason to enlist in the Army; however, it is a big benefit for those who are interested in adoption.

Additional Adoption Assistance Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible, solders must not leave active duty before the adoption process if finalized. That being said, their eligibility can remain if the claim has been submitted to the Defense Finance and Accounting Center before discharge.

Are both parents soldiers? In this case, only one can be reimbursed for the expenses.

In order to receive reimbursement, the soldier is required to submit a request to the Defense Finance and Accounting Center within one year of the completion of the adoption.

Qualifying Expenses

Reasonable expenses include: agency fees, legal fees, placement fees, medical expenses, hospital expenses, temporary foster care charges, and physical exams of the adopted child?s biological mother.

Of course, there are expenses that do not qualify for reimbursement. These include: travel expenses and any adoption that is in violation of local, state, or Federal law.

As an active duty soldier in the US Army you will find that adopting a child can be an affordable process ? this is not always the case as a regular civilian. Along with this, solders are entitled to up to 21 days of non-chargeable leave, per DoD Instruction 1327.6, to complete the adoption process.

Adoption assistance is just one of the many benefits of becoming a soldier in the Army.