MARADMIN 501/26
REIMBURSEMENT OF QUALIFYING ADOPTION EXPENSES
R 151518Z OCT 26 MARADMIN 501/26 MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP MPO// SUBJ/REIMBURSEMENT OF QUALIFYING ADOPTION EXPENSES// REF/A/MSGID/DOC/DOWI 1341.09/27MAY2026// REF/B/MSGID/DOC/DOD 7000.14-R/MAR2024// REF/C/MSGID/DOC/CMC/10MAR2021// REF/D/MSGID/MSG/CMC MRA MF/R052201ZFEB18// REF/E/MSGID/DOC/DODI 5400.11/08DEC2020// NARR/REF A IS DEPARTMENT OF WAR INSTRUCTION 1341.09 WITH CHANGE 1, REIMBURSEMENT FOR ADOPTION FEES. REF B IS THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION, VOLUME 7A, APPENDIX A, REIMBURSEMENT OF ADOPTION EXPENSES. REF C IS MARINE CORPS ORDER 5000.12F WITH CHANGE 2, MARINE CORPS POLICY CONCERNING PARENTHOOD AND PREGNANCY. REF D IS MARADMIN 076/18, REIMBURSEMENT FOR CERTAIN ADOPTION EXPENSES. REF E IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTRUCTION 5400.11 WITH CHANGE 1, DOD PRIVACY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES PROGRAMS.// POC/MANPOWER MILITARY POLICY BRANCH/TEL:703-784-9371/72/EMAIL: [email protected]// GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. The purpose of this MARADMIN is to announce administrative process changes for Marines, Personnel Administrative Offices (PAOs) and Disbursing Officers/Finance Offices (DOs/FOs) in the reimbursement of qualifying adoption expenses. 1.a. The publication of this MARADMIN cancels reference (d). 2. Eligibility. 2.a. In accordance with references (a) and (b), Active duty and Reserve Marines who are called to active duty for 180 or more consecutive days may be reimbursed for qualifying adoption expenses for a child under 18 years of age. The adoption must be completed prior to the Marine separating from active duty. 2.b. Adoption expense reimbursement may be paid to married or single service members. If both parents are service members, then only one member may be reimbursed for expenses related to the adoption of the same child. 3. Deadlines. 3.a. Applications for reimbursement must be submitted no later than 2 years after the adoption of the child is finalized. 3.b. For foreign adoptions, the application deadline is 2 years from the date the certificate of U.S. citizenship is issued to the adopted child. 3.c. An adopted child must be enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) prior to the submission of a claim for adoption reimbursement. 3.d. In the case of Marines separating from military service, the adoption of the child must be finalized and the application for adoption reimbursement must be completed and submitted via the member’s chain of command to their servicing PAO prior to separation from active duty. 3.e. Exceptions to the 2 year deadline will only be applicable to those members unable to comply due to deployment responsibilities. In these cases, approval from the first General Officer (GO) in the Marine’s chain of command will be required. 3.f. Reserve component Marines must provide a copy of their active- duty orders, these orders will be used to verify that the adoption was finalized while the Marine was in an active-duty status for 180 or more consecutive days. 4. Reimbursable Expenses. 4.a. Service members may request up to 2,000 dollars per adoptive child or a maximum of 5,000 dollars per calendar year for qualifying expenses. Per references (a) and (b), reasonable and necessary expenses paid by the Marine include: 4.b. Public and private agency fees (including foreign agencies). 4.c. Placement fees and counseling fees. 4.d. Legal fees and court costs. 4.e. Medical expenses for the biological mother and medical care of the child to be adopted. 4.f. Temporary foster care charges required prior to placement. 5. Non-Reimbursable Expenses. 5.a. Per references (a) and (b), travel expenses and items such as clothing, bedding, toys, and books are not eligible for reimbursement. 6. Required Documentation/Marines responsibility. 6.a. Complete the DD Form 2675 (a separate form is required for each child). This form can be found at https:(slash)(slash)www.esd.whs.mil/Directives/forms/dd2500_2999 /DD2675/. 6.b. Provide a copy of the final adoption decree, certificate, or court order (with English translation if the document is written in a foreign language). 6.c. Provide sufficient documentation proving the adoption was handled by a qualified/licensed adoption agency (e.g., placement agreement, agency letter, or receipts verifying agency status). 6.d. Itemized receipts, cancelled checks, or agency letters substantiating all claimed expenses. 6.e. In the case of foreign adoptions, proof of the child’s U.S. citizenship. 6.f. (For Reserve Component only) Active-duty orders consisting of a consecutive 180 days or more. 7. Coordinating Instructions and Processing. 7.a. Adoption reimbursement claims shall be submitted via the Marine’s chain of command to their servicing PAO. 7.b. The PAO is responsible for collecting supporting documentation from the Marine, reviewing source documents, and verifying the Marine’s eligibility for adoption reimbursement. 7.c. The PAO is responsible for ensuring that personally identifiable information (PII) collected is safeguarded pursuant to reference (e). 7.d. The PAO will forward the verified documentation with a NAVMC 11116, “Miscellaneous Military Pay Order/Special Payment Authorization” form to the appropriate DO/FO in the Document Tracking Management System (DTMS). 7.e. If the submitted documentation does not adequately establish eligibility or entitlement, the package will be returned by the DO/FO to the PAO. The PAO will contact the Marine for corrections or additional documentation. Any missing or corrected information must be provided back to the DO/FO within 90 days of the request. 7.f. The DO/FO retains final approval authority and will process the adoption reimbursement transaction in DTMS, as applicable. 8. This MARADMIN remains in effect until incorporated into reference (c) or cancelled, whichever occurs first. 9. Release authorized by Senior Executive Service, M. R. Melillo, Acting Director, Manpower Plans and Policy Division.//