“How Much do Foster Parents Get Paid in Texas?”: Misconceptions about Financial Assistance in Foster Care

Foster parenting takes a significant amount of time and energy. But prospective foster parents often express most concern about financial obligations. You probably have many questions, including “do I make enough money to be a foster parent? What will I need to buy? Do foster parents get paid? If so, how much do foster parents get paid in Texas?” All of these questions are perfectly reasonable; if you’re looking for information about the financial costs and benefits of foster care, this blog is for you.

It is a popular misnomer that foster parents get “paid” to foster in Texas. Foster parents in Texas must have a regular source of income separate from the money they receive from the state related to fostering or any government assistance. The funds that foster parents receive reimburse the expenses related to caring for foster children. Therefore, it is not taxed because it is not income or an income supplement. The exact amount of reimbursement is determined by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, and is based on the individual needs of the children in care.

There is no minimum income threshold to become a foster parent. However, foster parents should be fiscally responsible, as they will be asked to provide documentation showing they have both stable employment with a regular source of income and the ability to budget money each month to avoid bad debt. Agencies may ask for income tax records or pay stubs to verify finances. A foster family’s budget should demonstrate readiness to take on the financial responsibilities of parenting foster children.

The reimbursement that foster parents receive from the state of Texas is meant to help pay for consumables such as food, clothing, and toiletries used by the foster children in their care. Medical and dental expenses are covered by Medicaid. Education is provided through the public school system and daycare costs for pre-school children may be reimbursed through CCMS. On the whole, the state covers most of the basic costs of living. Foster parents often step in to provide special things such as money for a class field trip, birthday presents, and money for hobbies in order to provide a sense of normalcy to their foster children.

In addition to regular monthly expenses, there can also be upfront costs when a child is placed with a foster family. Some children bring only the clothes on their backs when they are placed in foster care. A foster parent may need to buy things like clothing, school supplies, diapers, wipes, or baby bottles. Financial reimbursement may not be received until the child has been in a foster home for a few weeks. Therefore, it is a good practice to have some money saved up to cover the costs of the first month.

So, the answer to the question, “How much do foster parents get paid?” is complicated. Certainly, we can conclude that foster parenting is not a source of income. Many foster parents consider the monthly stipend to be the property of the foster child, and they serve as fiduciaries to their foster children in order to provide for all of the child’s needs.

If you have more questions about foster parenting, contact Bianca Bookman at bbookman@hopecottage.org.