Adoption Expense Reimbursement (PAC)

Purpose

MARADMIN 501/26MARADMIN 501/26 sets the process for reimbursing qualifying adoption expenses. It cancels MARADMIN 076/18MARADMIN 076/18. The Personnel Administrative Office (PAO) collects the package, verifies eligibility, and forwards it to the Disbursing Officer or Finance Office (DO/FO). The DO/FO holds final approval and pays the claim in DTMS. 10 U.S.C. 105210 USC 1052 and DOWI 1341.09DOWI 1341.09 set the entitlement.

Entitlement Limits

Performance Steps

Step 1. PERA. Receive the Claim

1. Accept the claim only through the Marine's chain of command, per para 7.a.
2. Log the date received. The date drives the deadline check in Step 3.

Step 2. PERA. Verify Eligibility

1. Active Component. Confirm the Marine is on active duty.
2. Reserve Component. Confirm active duty orders of 180 or more consecutive days, and confirm the adoption became final inside those orders, per paras 2.a and 3.f.
3. Confirm the child was under 18 at adoption.
4. Confirm the adoption became final before the Marine leaves active duty.
5. Dual-military. Confirm the other parent has not claimed the same child, per para 2.b.

Step 3. PERA. Verify Deadline and DEERS

1. Domestic adoption. Claim submitted no later than 2 years after the adoption became final, per para 3.a.
2. Foreign adoption. Claim submitted no later than 2 years after the certificate of U.S. citizenship was issued, per para 3.b.
3. Separating Marine. Claim completed and submitted to the PAO before separation, per para 3.d.
4. Late claim. Accept only with first General Officer approval, and only for deployment, per para 3.e.
5. Confirm the child appears in DEERS. No DEERS enrollment, no claim, per para 3.c.

Step 4. PERA. Review the Package

Step 5. PERA. Screen Each Expense

Reimbursable, per para 4.

• Public and private agency fees, foreign agencies included.
• Placement fees and counseling fees.
• Legal fees and court costs.
• Medical expenses for the biological mother and medical care of the child.
• Temporary foster care charges required before placement.

Not reimbursable, per para 5.

• Travel expenses.
• Clothing, bedding, toys, and books.

Apply the $2,000 per child and $5,000 per calendar year caps to the eligible total.

Step 6. PERA. Safeguard PII

The package carries decrees, citizenship records, medical bills, and SSNs. Safeguard it under DoDI 5400.11, per para 7.c, from receipt through the forward to the DO/FO in DTMS.

Step 7. PERA. Forward to the DO/FO

1. Prepare a NAVMC 11116NAVMC 11116, Miscellaneous Military Pay Order/Special Payment Authorization.
2. Attach the verified documentation.
3. Forward to the servicing DO/FO in DTMS, per para 7.d.

Step 8. PERA. Work Returned Packages

1. The DO/FO returns any package failing to establish eligibility or entitlement, per para 7.e.
2. Contact the Marine for the correction or missing document.
3. Return the corrected package to the DO/FO within 90 days of the DO/FO request.
4. The DO/FO holds final approval and processes the payment in DTMS, per para 7.f.

Decision Points

• Reserve Marine on orders under 180 days. Not eligible. Return the package with the reason.
• Adoption final after separation. Not eligible.
• Child not in DEERS. Hold the claim and send the Marine to RAPIDS first.

Common Errors

1. Package accepted directly from the Marine, outside the chain of command.
2. Claim forwarded without DEERS enrollment.
3. Travel or household items left in the claimed total.
4. One DD 2675 covering two children.
5. Reserve claim forwarded without orders showing 180 or more consecutive days.
6. Returned package left past the 90-day window.
7. PII in the package handled outside DoDI 5400.11 safeguards.

Coordination Touchpoints

• Servicing DO/FO. Final approval and payment in DTMS.
• Manpower Military Policy Branch (MPO), SMB_HQMC_MPO@USMC.MIL, 703-784-9371/72. Policy questions.
• RAPIDS site. DEERS enrollment for the child.

Related Roles

• Marines enroll the child in DEERS, complete the DD 2675, and submit through the chain within 2 years.
• Leaders forward the package and flag Marines nearing separation with a pending adoption.
• Commanders route deployment exception requests to the first General Officer.