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A Big Difference for Adopting Parents: the Adoption Tax Credit Renewed and Expanded

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Whatever you think of the new health care legislation, adoptive parents will realize one benefit: the Adoption Tax Credit, which was set to expire this year, will be renewed through December 21, 2011. The maximum reimbursable limit for adoption-related expenses was raised from $12, 150 to $13, 170. In addition, the Adoption Tax Credit will benefit families who have no taxes or a very small amount of taxes due, because it is now refundable. The credit lessens for adopters with income of over$ 180,000 per year, and continues to lessen as incomes go up until it is eventually phased out. … Continue reading →

Your Employer Might Pay Some of Your Adoption Expenses

Did you know you could get adoption assistance from your employer? Nearly half of U.S. firms now offer adoption assistance, up from only twelve percent in 1990. You may wonder why an employer would offer to pay some of your adoption costs. Many employers say that it helps them be more competitive and they get a good return on their investment overall. Although I wonder if the more difficult economy we’ve experienced the last few months will lead firms to discontinue this benefit, I hope they will not. In any economic climate, a company is only as good as its … Continue reading →

The 2008 Adoption Guide

Initially I thought $14.95 was a steep price for what looked like a magazine issue. But the 2008 Adoption Guide is in fact more informative than many books. It is a combination news digest, workbook, telephone and website directory, statistics almanac, and collection of personal essays. The annual guide, from the publisher of Adoptive Families Magazine, is a concise introduction to adoption topics, but it also provides the insight from personal experiences that people exploring adoption crave (and that experienced adoptive parents can’t seem to resist reading either). The guide covers the four major types of adoption: domestic infant adoption … Continue reading →

Upcoming Issues in Adoption for 2008

There will be many developments in adoption in the coming year. Not only are countries’ adoption policies continually changing, but the face of international adoption itself may be changed by implementation of the Hague Convention on International Adoptions. (I once thought I’d write a blog about this treaty, but now realize it’s an immense topic that we’ll work our way through together as I share bits of my research.) States continue to search for ways to deal with the exploding foster care population. Some organizations and individuals are founding innovative programs to help teens in foster care. I’ll write about … Continue reading →

Top Adoption Myths

November is National Adoption Month. In honor of this month’s emphasis on educating people about adoption, I am offering a personal “Top Ten” list of myths I hear about adoption, and my responses. 1. Myth: Adoption has become an activity for the wealthy only. Reality: • Adopting from the foster care system is free, and the children often continue to receive a subsidy for medical and other necessary care. Contrary to popular belief, there are infants to be adopted this way. • International Adoption has many up-front costs, but these are usually substantially offset by the $10,000 tax credit and … Continue reading →

“Saints” in U.S. Adoption

Since some Christian denominations recognize today as All Saints’ Day (a day to honor role models past and present, living and dead), I decided to do a bit of research on people who have had a great impact on adoption. Of course this list could include many, many people. I hope that holding up a few will reflect honor on all of those who continue to work for children and families. The U.S. Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute established the annual “Angels in Adoption” awards and gala to honor the unsung heroes from all 50 states who have enriched the … Continue reading →

Adoption Blog Month in Review, April 2007: Part One

I’d like to start this April Month-in-Review with a word about March. Most of you know that my co-blogger Ed Paul left. However he was a prolific writer here so there are many blogs in our archives to enjoy—check some out! When Ed left, Rachel Whitmire (who wrote for the adoption blog before either Ed or I did) was ready to come back from her leave of absence–during which she picked up her toddler son Jayden from Guatemala! She has about ten blogs in the adoption blog in late March describing aspects of her journey and new motherhood. Check them … Continue reading →

Adoption Tax Credit

Many people who hear how expensive adoption is do not realize what a dramatic difference the adoption tax credit makes. The tax credit for adoption is $10,000. This is not a deduction where you deduct adoption expenses from your taxable income. This is an actual credit, meaning you pay less money in taxes. For most people, that means you will be getting quite a refund! This one-time tax credit is available to those who adopt internationally as well as those who adopt US infants or US children in foster care, unlike the ongoing monthly subsidies for medical or psychological care … Continue reading →

Financial Assistance in Adoption

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Many people do not consider adopting or fostering a child because they assume that it would be too expensive for them to take on the responsibility of having another child in their home. Most states provide subsidies to assist with the expenses of taking care of a child. These subsidies are generally not considered as taxable income. In my state, the payments are made one month in arrears. For our family, there was an added frustration in that the money was paid through an adoption agency and they sometimes held the money for an extra month. An additional problem in … Continue reading →

November is National Adoption Awareness Month.

Every year in the United States, the month of November is set aside to promote awareness about the adoption of children from the foster care system. National Adoption Month, has been celebrated for over 20-years and started in May 1976, when Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis issued the first state Adoption Week proclamation. Later in the same year 1976 President Gerald Ford officially proclaimed National Adoption week by way of a letter to the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) conference. During the following years, Adoption Week was observed during the week of Thanksgiving in November. In 1986, NACAC coordinated … Continue reading →