How Much Do Foster Parents Get Paid in New Hampshire?

The question almost every prospective foster parent eventually asks — and then feels guilty for asking — is a completely legitimate one. Fostering a child costs money. Food, clothing, transportation, activities, school supplies. Knowing what the state actually pays matters, both for your household budget and for setting realistic expectations about what "the stipend" is designed to cover.

New Hampshire pays foster parents a daily maintenance rate, not a salary. That distinction is important. The payment is designed to reimburse the cost of caring for the child — not to compensate you for your time or emotional labor.

Current NH Foster Care Daily Rates (Effective July 1, 2024)

New Hampshire's maintenance rates are set by age group and the level of care required:

These rates are issued automatically through DCYF's Bridges payment system based on the child's documented placement days. You don't invoice — payments process on the state's schedule.

Translated to monthly figures, the general care rate works out to approximately $1,028-$1,224 per month depending on the child's age. Specialized care (for children with significant medical or behavioral needs) runs $1,286-$1,529 per month.

What the Rate Is Supposed to Cover

The daily maintenance rate is intended to cover the child's portion of household costs: food, basic clothing, incidentals, personal care items, and a proportional share of shelter and utilities. It is not designed to cover your full housing cost or to generate income for the foster family.

In practical terms, experienced foster parents in New Hampshire generally find that the general care rate roughly covers a child's direct daily costs for younger children and comes up a bit short for teenagers, who tend to have higher food and activity costs. Specialized care rates reflect the additional demands — higher needs children require more time, more appointments, and often more consumable supplies.

The Initial Clothing Allotment

When a child first comes into foster care, they often arrive with little or nothing. New Hampshire has an Initial Clothing Allotment (ICA) for exactly this situation. The ICA is a one-time allotment to purchase essential clothing items for a child's first placement. It requires pre-authorization from your caseworker and requires you to submit receipts (Form 2110) for reimbursement. The base daily rate includes a basic clothing allowance historically estimated at $1.11 per day for ongoing needs.

Medicaid Coverage for Every Foster Child

Every child in New Hampshire foster care is automatically enrolled in NH Medicaid (Foster Care Medicaid). This covers medical, dental, vision, and mental health services. You do not pay out of pocket for a foster child's healthcare. This is one of the most significant financial supports in the system — a child with an active treatment plan or specialist appointments who has full Medicaid coverage means no medical bills landing in your mailbox.

Respite Reimbursement

Each foster child is eligible for up to 14 days of respite care per state fiscal year (July 1 to June 30). This allows you to take a vacation or handle a personal situation while the child stays in another licensed home. Both the primary foster parent and the respite provider may receive payment during transition days. If you are also a licensed respite provider, you can receive the $46.15 respite rate for caring for children from other foster families.

Tax Treatment of Foster Care Payments

Under IRS Publication 4694, foster care maintenance payments are generally treated as non-taxable reimbursements — you do not report them as income. If a foster child lives in your home for more than six months of the tax year, you may be able to claim them as a dependent, which potentially qualifies you for the Child Tax Credit and Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. As with all tax matters, consult a tax professional familiar with foster care rules before filing.

What Specialized Care Means Financially

The Specialized Care license becomes available after one year of general foster care experience and 21 additional hours of specialized training. The financial difference is meaningful: the specialized daily rate for a teenager is $50.97 versus $40.78 for general care — roughly $305 more per month for the same child. Families who care for children with complex trauma histories, medical needs, or significant behavioral challenges often move toward specialized licensure because it better reflects the actual demands of that care.

What the Money Doesn't Cover

It's worth being honest about the gaps:

• Your time. Foster care maintenance is not wages. The hours you spend at appointments, transporting to visits, managing behaviors, and advocating in court are not compensated.
• Professional childcare. If you work full-time and need childcare for a foster infant or toddler, the stipend alone typically won't cover commercial daycare rates in southern New Hampshire.
• Transition gaps. Payments are based on placement days, so there can be a short delay between placement and your first payment while the Bridges system processes the enrollment.

The Full Picture

If you're trying to figure out whether fostering is financially viable for your household, the math is specific to your situation: your existing overhead, whether you work full-time, what age children you're open to, and whether you'd eventually pursue specialized licensure. The New Hampshire Foster Care Licensing Guide includes a budget planning worksheet that maps out the actual numbers — general rate versus specialized rate, monthly projections by age, and what to expect in the first 30 days before payments begin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are foster care payments taxable income in New Hampshire?

Generally no. Foster care maintenance payments are typically non-taxable under IRS Publication 4694. However, if you have received unusual supplemental payments or have a complex situation, consult a tax professional.

How often are New Hampshire foster care rates updated?

Rates are reviewed periodically by the state legislature. The rates shown above are effective July 1, 2024. Check the NH DHHS "Current Foster Care Daily Rates" page for the most recent figures.

Do kinship caregivers get the same rates as licensed foster parents?

Licensed kinship foster parents receive the same foster care maintenance rates as any other licensed provider. Unlicensed relatives who take emergency placement may receive a child-only TANF grant through the Division of Family Assistance, which is significantly lower. This is one of the primary financial incentives for kinship caregivers to pursue full licensure.

Do I get paid differently for emergency placements?

Yes. Emergency Care placements receive a flat $55.38 per day regardless of the child's age — higher than the general care rate. Crisis Care (for after-hours placements) is $64.61 per day.

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