The FAD worker must ensure all foster and adoptive parent applicants are at least 21 years old and financially stable.

State law prohibits FAD from doing either of the following:

• Setting a maximum age for any prospective adoptive parent.
• Setting a maximum age differential between a child and any prospective adoptive parent.

FAD may consider the health and expected lifespan of each prospective adoptive parent when determining the best interest of a child.

Although there are no specific income requirements, the FAD worker must ensure applicants have both of the following:

• Income to meet a child's basic material needs before reimbursement.
• Ability to manage their income.

The FAD worker must evaluate income based on the applicant's ability to do the following:

• Manage money, in both the past and the present.
• Meet the family's financial needs.
• Meet the foster or adoptive child's additional financial needs.