How Much Do Foster Parents Get Paid in Maryland?

Foster parents in Maryland — officially called resource parents — receive monthly board payments of roughly $835 to $850 for a standard placement, with higher amounts of $950 and up when a child needs intermediate or treatment-level care. How much foster parents get paid in Maryland depends on the child’s age, the level of care the child needs, and whether difficulty-of-care additions apply. The payments are reimbursements for the cost of raising the child, not wages, and they are not counted as taxable income.¹

Standard Monthly Board Rates

The Code of Maryland Regulations 07.02.11.39 sets the family foster care board rates in two age brackets. Each monthly total already includes a built-in clothing allowance.²

Infant through age 11: $775 board plus $60 clothing, for a total of $835 per month ($27.45 per diem).
Age 12 and older: $775 board plus $75 clothing, for a total of $850 per month ($27.94 per diem).

The Department of Human Services has also published policy guidance listing higher adjusted amounts for regular care: $887 per month for children through age 11 and $902 for those 12 and older.³ Maryland began implementing a restructured foster care rate system in fiscal year 2025, so your actual payment may differ from either published figure. Your local Department of Social Services office can confirm the current rate at placement.

These monthly board payments are meant to cover the child’s everyday costs: food, clothing upkeep, household utilities, personal hygiene products, school supplies, and routine local transportation.

Higher Rates for Intermediate and Treatment Care

Children who need more supervision or specialized support because of medical or behavioral needs are placed at higher care levels, and resource parents receive larger payments.

Intermediate Care

Intermediate care applies when a child needs extra attention beyond standard placement but does not require a therapeutic setting. Under the COMAR schedule, the totals are $950 per month for a child through age 11 ($890 board plus $60 clothing) and $965 per month for a child 12 or older ($890 board plus $75 clothing).²

DHS policy guidance lists somewhat higher intermediate amounts of $1,008 and $1,024. A separate difficulty-of-care stipend can be added on top: with it included, the DHS directive shows $1,208 per month through age 11 and $1,224 for age 12 and older.³

Treatment Foster Care

Treatment Foster Care (TFC), also called specialized care, is used for children with severe trauma, serious behavioral health needs, or medically fragile conditions. The COMAR base rate matches regular care ($835 through age 11, $850 for 12 and older), but Maryland adds tiered “maintenance plus” payments on top:²³

TFC Level I: base rate plus $350 per month
TFC Level II: base rate plus $500 per month
TFC Level III: base rate plus $650 per month
TFC Level IV: base rate plus $800 per month

At the top tier, a resource parent caring for a child 12 or older would receive roughly $1,650 per month using the COMAR base. Children placed through private contracted agencies may have somewhat different rate structures. A child’s tier is determined through standardized assessments that measure the hours of specialized care needed beyond ordinary parenting.

Clothing Allowances and Placement Funds

The monthly clothing allowance is built into every board rate: $60 per month for children through age 11 and $75 for children 12 and older. No separate request is needed.²

When a child first enters out-of-home care, resource parents also receive a one-time initial clothing allowance to cover immediate wardrobe needs. DHS sets the minimum amounts at $60 for infants through age 5, $75 for ages 6 to 11, and $100 for ages 12 and up. Any clothing costs beyond that initial amount are expected to come from the monthly board rate.³

Local departments can also draw on flexible funds for special circumstances such as high school graduation, prom, or medically related needs, so a foster child can take part in milestones without the cost falling entirely on the resource family. Availability depends on the local department’s budget, so raise foreseeable expenses with your caseworker in advance.³

Transportation and Respite Reimbursement

Routine local driving — school, medical appointments, activities, visitation — is treated as part of the monthly board rate. For special long-distance trips of more than 30 miles round trip, the local department can reimburse mileage separately. Qualifying trips include parent or sibling visitation, medical or mental health appointments, and special school events. Request approval before the trip whenever possible.⁴

Resource parents who need a temporary break can arrange respite care with another approved caregiver. The COMAR respite rate is $30 per day for regular foster care and $50 per day for treatment foster care.² Your caseworker can help identify approved providers.

Are Foster Care Payments Taxable in Maryland?

Board payments from the state are not taxable income. Federal law excludes qualified foster care payments, including both the regular board rate and any difficulty-of-care additions, from gross income. To qualify, the payments must come from a state, local government, or licensed placement agency for a child placed in your home through an official foster care program.¹

The regular board exclusion applies for up to five foster individuals age 19 or older in your home. For difficulty-of-care payments, the exclusion covers up to 10 children under age 19 and up to five individuals 19 or older.¹

When Payments Arrive

Maryland pays foster care board rates in arrears. A draft statement is mailed at the beginning of each month showing the prior month’s placement data, and payments go out around the 23rd, either by check or by direct deposit if you have set it up.⁵

Amounts are based on placement records in the state’s case management system, and social workers must verify that placement information is current before funds are released. If a child moves placements or leaves care mid-month, the payment is prorated for the days the child was in your home. If your payment status looks wrong, your assigned caseworker or local Department of Social Services office is the point of contact.

1
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 131 – Certain Foster Care Payments
2
Legal Information Institute. Maryland Code of Regulations 07.02.11.39 – Schedules
3
Maryland Department of Human Services. SSA 19-16 CW Guidelines for Foster Care Board Rate and Expenditures
4
Maryland Division of State Documents. Maryland Code of Regulations 07.02.11.31 – State Standard Rates for Out-of-Home Placement Services
5
Maryland Department of Human Services. Payment Procedures