If you recently discovered you’re unexpectedly pregnant, you may be considering adoption. That may be partially because you don’t know if you can afford the significant financial cost of carrying and raising a child. You may have wondered, “Do mothers get paid for adoption?” or, “Is putting a baby up for adoption free in Maine?”

Here’s what you need to know:

• Putting your baby up for adoption is always free.
• There’s a good chance you can receive adoption financial assistance in Maine.

Upon taking a closer look, you may find adoption financial assistance complicated. That can result in many questions related to financial assistance for adoption, like:

• Is there financial assistance for adoption in Maine?
• Is giving up a baby for adoption free in Maine?
• Do adoption agencies pay birth mothers in Maine?
• Do adoption families house and pay you?

This guide’s key takeaway is that adoption is always free for the birth mother. You’ll never pay to place your child in a loving adoptive home.

You should also know that if you’re considering your options because you unexpectedly became pregnant, you can get financial assistance for adoption. There may be many aspects of unplanned pregnancy that concern you, but learning more about adoption financial assistance in Maine can help you find a way to move forward.

Finding an adoption agency to advise you about adoption financial assistance is an important starting point. To find adoption agencies in Maine, click here.

In the meantime, check out the Q&A below to learn about the expense of putting a child up for adoption in Maine.

1.  Is giving a baby up for adoption free in Maine?

In Maine, birth mothers never pay a cost to give a baby up for adoption. Putting your child up for adoption is always free. When facing unplanned pregnancy, you probably have financial concerns about the cost pre-natal care and hospital delivery costs. Other charges for placing your baby would be burdensome.

When you choose adoption, you can find peace in knowing that most (if not all) costs associated with pregnancy, labor, and delivery won’t be your responsibility. Those expenses can legally be paid by prospective adoptive parents through financial assistance for adoption in Maine.

2. In Maine, Can I get money for giving my baby up for adoption?

In some cases, birth mothers receive financial assistance when they choose to put their child up for adoption. That results in a misconception that you can get paid to give your baby up for adoption in Maine. However, that’s not true. Adoption for compensation directly to birth parents is expressly forbidden under federal law.

Adoption for compensation isn’t just prohibited by state and federal law. It can also result in criminal prosecution. If birth parents are offered money (or anything of value) in exchange for placing a child for adoption, it’s considered human trafficking.

3. Can you get paid for adoption by adoption agencies in Maine?

Receiving money for putting your baby up for adoption in Maine is illegal, no matter where the payments originate. Maine statutes prohibit illegal compensation to birth parents offered by adoptive parents,  adoption agencies, or any representative of a prospective adoptive family. That includes both payments using money or anything else of value.

If any agency proposes payment outside of the recognized expenses described by state law or approved by the court, it’d be a good idea to steer clear of that organization. Receiving compensation for putting a baby up for adoption comes with stiff consequences, so be suspicious of any offers that seem questionable.

Though birth mothers can’t legally get paid for adoption in Maine, there are expenses that can be paid through legal adoption financial assistance. There are adoption agencies that help with living expenses, and expenses incurred by the birth mother before, during, and immediately after the pregnancy and birth can be paid by adoptive families or adoption agencies.

4. In Maine, Is there financial assistance for adoption for birth mothers?

An unexpected pregnancy can definitely upset your life. The disruption can include significant financial impacts related to diet and nutrition, medical care, and lifestyle costs. Your ability to work may even be diminished during your pregnancy, and that will definitely have an impact on your personal economy.  

Though you don’t get paid to give your baby up for adoption in Maine, you can get help in paying your pregnancy-related expenses. There are many classes of adoption financial assistance in Maine for birth mothers that are perfectly legal under state law.

Adoption financial assistance is intended to offset the high cost of carrying and delivering a baby. Included among those expenses are things like living expenses and other reasonable costs related to medical care for the birth mother and baby.

Any payment for birth mothers in Maine must be classified into one of the following categories:

• Living expenses: In Maine, birth mother living expenses can be paid in most cases by the adoptive family. These expenses can include birthmother housing, food, utilities, and other expenses that the court deems necessary.
• Medical expenses: Cost of care represents a considerable burden for birth mothers. Therefore, the law provides for prospective adoptive families to pay for medical care and hospital costs for both the birth mother and baby.
• Legal expenses: The cost of legal expenses in an adoption can be a burden on birth mothers. Maine law allows birth parents to cover those costs.
• Adoption resources: Finding a good adoption agency is important for birth mothers. Not only do such agencies coordinate adoption opportunities, but they also offer counseling and other important resources for birth mothers. The costs of those agencies can be paid by potential adoptive families in Maine.

5. Are there state laws in Maine that govern payment of expenses to birth mothers?

Maine is one of many states that addresses birth mother expenses directly. There are classes of birth mother expenses such as birthmother housing that can be paid legally if the established legal guidelines are observed.

In Maine, there is no maximum amount for birth mother expenses. Some states cap the amount of adoption financial assistance, but Maine isn’t one of them. However, all expenses must be reported in an itemized document filed with the court that includes details such as amount, payment date, and type of expense. The judge will review the document before the adoption is finalized.

It’s important to have a licensed adoption professional on your side to ensure all assistance payments are provided in compliance with the law and the required documentation is managed. While giving your baby up for adoption for money in Maine is not allowed, there are legal ways to get assistance from prospective adoptive parents who want to help.

6. Who decides how much adoption financial assistance can be provided?

There is no maximum limit for birth mother expenses under Maine law, so it’s up to the family courts to determine which birth mother expense payments are reasonably allowed. Though the law doesn’t limit birth mother expense payments, many factors can influence what kind of and how much adoption financial assistance you may receive, like:

• Your current standard of living
• The standard of living needed to promote the health and safety of you and your unborn child
• Any other sources of financial assistance you may be eligible to receive

Though Maine law doesn’t impose a ceiling on the amount of adoption financial assistance a birth mother can receive, the financial resources of prospective adoptive families can factor into the equation. Potential adoptive families usually have an adoption budget when beginning the process, so expenses will have to fit within that budget.

7. What birth mother expenses cannot be paid by prospective adoptive parents?

Though the laws addressing financial assistance for adoption in Maine allow a broad range of expenses that are considered “reasonable,” some payments may be considered illegal compensation for placing a baby for adoption. Speak to your adoption professional to find out more about adoption financial assistance in your situation.

 

8. Where do I get more information about adoption financial assistance in Maine?

To find out more about legal adoption financial assistance and how you can get financial help, speak with an adoption professional today. Your licensed adoption agency in Maine will help you get a better understanding of the laws related to financial assistance for adoption. You can find an adoption agency that specializes in supporting birth mothers at this link.