AF READ ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

razzmoni · July 2012

Hello! We're just starting our adoption journey and are thrilled to be taking such positive steps in starting our family. I was looking through the forum (lurking!?) and was shocked to learn that the Tax Credit that all of the agencies we've been interview is set to expire in December 2012 (down from $13,000 and change to $6,000!). MBrode put together a wonderful post that I feel merits another look, not just by you but by your family and friends. We need everyone in our lives to advocate for adoption and making it as affordable as possible in order for it to even be plausible. Here's what you can do:

1.) Go to the following website to learn how to be an advocate for supporting making the tax credit permanent: https://adoptiontaxcredit.org/

2.) Email your Senator(s) using the script at the bottom of this post. Find your Senator(s) at: https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm (use the "Find Your Senators" in the top right corner)

3.) Email your State Representative(s). Find your Representatives at: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find/ (type in your zip code)

Sample Letter:

I am writing to ask you to support the adoption tax credit, which is set to expire on December 31, 2012. Since 1997, the adoption tax credit has helped tens of thousands of parents offset the high cost of adoption, making it possible for them to provide children with loving, permanent families.The adoption tax credit is especially important to me and my family because?(Tell Congress why you care. Your Members of Congress value your voice!)If Congress does not take action, the current adoption tax credit will expire at the end of 2012. The credit will be reduced to $6,000, and will only benefit the few families that adopt children with special needs and have qualified adoption expenses. Most families adopting children from foster care, intercountry adoption, and domestic infant adoption will not receive any benefit. Without the adoption tax credit, many parents hoping to adopt will be unable to do so, and others will face great financial hardship. The adoption tax credit is essential to ensuring that as many children as possible find the forever families they deserve and ensuring that those families are in a more stable financial position to provide an environment where children can thrive.The adoption tax credit must be extended to help as many children as possible find the permanent, loving family they need and deserve. And for 2012 it should be made refundable again so that most adoptive families will benefit from it. The best adoption tax credit would be permanent, refundable, inclusive of all types of adoption, and remain a ?flat? tax for children with special needs. On behalf of the countless children waiting to be adopted, and the many thousands of families that stand to benefit from the adoption tax credit, thank you for your attention to this important issue.Sincerely,NAME
CITY, STATE

EMAIL ADDRESS / PHONE NUMBER

kacelle · July 2012

I believe a lot of posters on this board have emailed or sent letters to their state representatives! I contacted mine a few months ago.

The $6000 nonrefundable credit for next year will only apply to special needs domestic adoptions, from what I understand. Definitely a major change from the past few years. I believe President Obama is trying to establish a permanent refundable credit.

razzmoni · July 2012

" I believe a lot of posters on this board have emailed or sent letters to their state representatives! I contacted mine a few months ago."

I'm so glad to hear that!!! I sent out a Facebook message to my friends and they were all shocked, so I'm spreading the word on every format I can think of. Thanks for the info Kacelle - take care!