One way that adoption is affordable to many families is through the adoption tax credit. This tax credit provides a refund to families who provide proof of a finalized adoption on their taxes up to the amount of $12,650. Families can then take this refund and pay off any debts that they took out to pay for their adoption fees and costs. This adoption tax credit is our lifeline. But it’s being threatened.
The adoption tax credit is set to expire on December 31, 2012. As it’s set right now, the credit will be lowered to a maximum of only $6,000 in 2013, and will only be available to a few adoptive families {those who adopted special needs or waiting children}. This means adoption will be even harder to attain for many families who might otherwise consider it.
Congress must act quickly to pass legislation that will protect and extend the Adoption Tax Credit as a permanent fixture for all adoptive families in the future. Adoption is hard enough to attain in our country, and the loss of this tax credit will make it even harder for families to consider. Even if you aren’t an adoptive family, or you are someone who would never consider adopting, please consider writing your congress representative to ask them to become a co-sponsor of the Making Adoption Affordable Act {HR 4373}. There is no companion legislation in the Senate yet, so you can simply ask your Senators to support an adoption tax credit that is inclusive, refundable, flat for special needs adoptions, and permanent.
There is a letter template if you’d like to email your representative but don’t know exactly what to ask for. Simply fill out this letter, find your representative’s contact information here or here, and email or mail them a letter {or call!} requesting that they help save the adoption tax credit.
I simply cannot stress enough just how important this tax credit is to parents who adopt. There are thousands of families who could not even consider adoption without the aid of this tax credit. Adoption costs are sky-rocketing, and there is no end in sight. Even the $12,000 doesn’t cover the entire costs of the most affordable adoption, but it certainly helps. If that’s taken away, I’m afraid the number of children within our foster care system and the amount of abortions that already happen in our nation will jump astonishingly.
Please consider taking the time to contact your representative. Thank you!
Blessings,
Kat
Love Makes A Family {by mommyponders} 