Regulation of Private Domestic Adoption Expenses - Maine

Birth Parent Expenses Allowed

Citation: Rev. Stat. Tit. 18-C, § 9-306(A)

Except when one of the petitioners is a blood relative of the child to be adopted or the adopted person is an adult, only the following expenses may be paid by or on behalf of a petitioner in any adoption proceeding:

• The actual cost of legal services related to the consent, the surrender and release, and the adoption process
• Prenatal and postnatal counseling expenses for the person giving birth to the child
• Prenatal, birthing, and other related medical expenses for the person giving birth to the child
• Necessary transportation expenses to obtain the services listed above
• Foster care expenses for the child
• Necessary living expenses for the person giving birth to the child and the child
• For a putative parent, legal and counseling expenses related to the consent, the surrender and release, and the adoption process
• Fees to a licensed child-placing agency providing services in connection with the pending adoption

Birth Parent Expenses Not Allowed

Citation: Rev. Stat. Tit.18-C, § 9-306(C)

Other expenses or payments to the birth parents are not authorized.

Allowable Payments for Arranging Adoption

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

Allowable Payments for Relinquishing Child

Citation: Rev. Stat. Tit.18-C, § 9-306(C)

Payments for allowable expenses may not be contingent upon any future decision a birth parent may make pertaining to the child.

Allowable Fees Charged by Department/Agency

Citation: Rev. Stat. Tit. 18-C, § 9-301

The fee for filing an adoption petition is $65. In addition, separate fees will be charged for the required State and Federal criminal history record checks.

Accounting of Expenses Required by Court

Citation: Rev. Stat. Tit. 18-C, § 9-306(B)

Prior to the dispositional hearing, the petitioner shall file a full accounting of all disbursements of anything of value made or agreed to be made by or on behalf of the petitioner in connection with the adoption. The accounting report must be signed under penalty of perjury and must be submitted to the court on or before the date the final decree is granted.

The accounting report must be itemized and show the services related to the adoption or to the placement of the child that were received by the adoptee's parents, by the adoptee, or on behalf of the petitioner. The accounting must include the dates of each payment and the names and addresses of each attorney, physician, hospital, licensed child-placing agency, or other person or organization who received funds or anything of value from the petitioner in connection with the adoption or the placement of the adoptee with the petitioner or participated in any way in the handling of the funds, either directly or indirectly. This subsection does not apply when one of the petitioners is a blood relative or the adoptee is an adult.