Adoption Blog

Extended Tax Credit for Adoptive Families

Dear Families,

There is good news for newly adoptive families from the health care bill that was signed into law on the 23rd.  The adoption tax credit has been extended until the end of 2011 and increased from $12,170 to $13,170 for adoptions occurring after January 1, 2010 (it's retroactive).  Even better, the credit is now refundable.

Bill text:
See page 903 of 906 at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h3590enr.txt.pdf
If you find the 2409 page version, its on page 2400.  It's the very last section. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3590

USA Today's brief analysis:

"Taxpayers who adopt children:  Effective in 2010, the bill makes the adoption credit refundable, increases the credit by $1,000 and extends the increased adoption credit through 2011." http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/2010-03-23-health-care-taxpayers_N.htm

Adoption Tax Credit Letter Template

Recently, in our Adoption Tax Credit Information post we encouraged families to contact their congressman or senator, in order to ask them to work to increase the tax credit for 2011 and all subsequent years, as it is a very important resource for many families.  (You can find your representative’s contact information at https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml.)

In order to make this easier for families, here is a simple template:

The Honorable FIRST NAME LAST NAME
U.S. Senate or U.S. House of Representatives
OFFICE ADDRESS
Washington, D.C. ZIP CODE

Dear Senator LAST NAME:

My family and I are your constituents in NAME OF TOWN. We request your support of The Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act of 2009, H.R. 213 (FOR HOUSE) or S.2816 (FOR SENATE).

The adoption tax credit that this legislation would make permanent is very important to my family and me. Without this significant financial assistance, we would not have been able to adopt our beautiful son (or daughter), NAME.  I am including a photo of my son/daughter.

As you may know, adoption expenses can easily exceed $20,000, a significant sum to most families.  Without the adoption tax credit, it would likely be very difficult or impossible for many families to adopt.  Through this adoption tax credit, I believe that many more children will find new, loving families like my own.

I urge you to co-sponsor H.R. 213 (FOR HOUSE) or S.2816 (FOR SENATE).  This legislation is very important to me and I, along with other adoptive families across the nation,  will be following its progress through Congress.  Thank you in advance for your support of this legislation that truly serves children who need families.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME

The Adoption Tax Credit Information

The National Council for adoption has released a helpful, practical guide to the adoption tax credit.  The Adoption Advocate No. 21 entitled, “Tax Benefits for Adoption: The Adoption Tax Credit includes a complete explanation of and examples of how to apply the tax credit, as well as details on:  the history of the tax credit; current status of the tax credit; and pending legislation to extend the tax credit.  Please Click Here to read Adoption Advocate No. 21. Families who have questions on the tax credit should contact their tax advisor as America World is unable to provide tax advice. Families are also welcome to contact their representative and ask them to work to increase the tax credit for 2011 and the years to follow as it is a very important resource for many families.  You can find your representative’s contact information at https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml.

End of January Ethiopia Referrals!

Congratulations to the following families that received their referrals at the end of January! Find below the list of these 6 children and the DTE dates of the families. Please keep in mind some of these referrals are sibling sets as well as children with special needs.

Age and Gender of Child	DTE Date
2 Male Infant	1/9/2009 11/6/2009
2 Female Infants	6/19/2009 6/19/2009
1 Male Toddler	1/29/2010
1 Female Toddler	1/9/2009

Due to the recent trends of received referrals the wait time for an infant male is 3-6 months, while the wait time for a female infant is 8-11 months.  This trend is based on recent history, but is subject to change.

We are excited to begin 2010 with 17 referrals this first month!   We are thankful for your prayers as we enter a new year in hopes to continue to bring children home to their forever families!

January Ethiopia Referrals!

The Ethiopia program is excited to start out 2010 with 11 referrals so far! Find below the list of these children and the DTE dates of the families. Please keep in mind some of these referrals may be sibling sets or children previously on our waiting children list.

Age and Gender of Child	DTE Date
6 Male Infants	8/20/2009 8/28/2009 8/28/2009 9/18/2009 10/9/2009 10/30/2009
1 Female Infant	5/8/2009
2 Male Toddlers	9/4/2009 10/9/2009
1 Female Toddler	9/4/2009
1 Female 5 years or older	Paperchasing

Due to the recent trends of received referrals the wait time for an infant male is 3-6 months, while the wait time for a female infant is 8-11 months.  This trend is based on recent history, but is subject to change.

We are eager to see what the Lord has in store for the Ethiopia program during 2010!  Please keep the Ethiopia program in your prayers as we send children home with their forever families and bring more children into our transition homes.

Update On Robel

Thank you for your prayers, encouraging notes, and emails for our Ethiopian Travel Coordinator Robel Alawi. Robel is finally home from the hospital as he recovers from his motorcycle accident. He has appreciated the prayers and well wishes of our families and is thankful he was wearing a helmet. Please keep Robel in your prayers as he is on crutches and still in pain because of his knee injury. Robel celebrated his birthday in the hospital on January 1st.

More December Ethiopia Referrals!

Congratulations to the following families that received their referrals the end of 2009! Find below the list of these children and the DTE dates of the families. Please keep in mind some of these referrals are sibling sets as well as children with special needs.

Age and Gender of Child	DTE Date
1 Male Infant	8/14/2009
3 Female Infants	3/20/2009 3/20/2009 10/30/2009
1 Male Toddler	10/30/2009
1 Female Toddler	9/4/2009
1 Males 5 years or older	6/12/2009
1 Female 5 years or older	6/12/2009

Due to the recent trends of received referrals the wait time for an infant male is now currently 4-6 months, while the wait time for a female infant remains 9-11 months.  This trend is based on recent history, but is subject to change.

America World is excited to announce that in 2009 the Ethiopia Program referred over 200 children to their forever families!  We are humbled by the work the Lord has given us and are thankful for His blessing over this program and our agency. We appreciate your prayers as we enter a new year in hopes to continue to bring children home to their forever families!

Prayers Requested for a Member of our Ethiopia Team

Please keep Robel Alawi, our in-country Ethiopia Travel Coordinator in your prayers. Robel was injured in a motorcycle accident over the weekend. He is currently in the hospital with a badly injured knee. Families who would like to send a note of encouragement to Robel can send them via email or mail to our office for us to pass along. Robel is a valued asset to our AWAA team in Ethiopia and has blessed our traveling families with his hard work and heart for orphans and street children. Please keep Robel in your prayers during this time.

December Ethiopia Referrals!

8 referrals have been given so far this December in the Ethiopia program!  Find below the list of these children and the DTE dates of the families. Please keep in mind some of these referrals are sibling sets as well as children with special needs.

Age and Gender of Child	DTE Date
2 Male Infants	8/7/2009 8/7/2009
2 Female Infants	1/16/2009 2/6/2009
1 Male Toddler	9/4/2009
2 Female Toddlers	10/2/2009 10/2/2009
1 Female 5 years or older	7/17/2009

Due to the recent trends of received referrals the wait time for an infant male is now currently 4-6 months, while the wait time for a female infant remains 9-11 months.  This trend is based on recent history, but is subject to change.

As we move towards the end of this year we reflect on the many blessings the Lord has bestowed on the Ethiopia Program in 2009. We are encouraged by His hand in this program and continue to ask for your prayers over this program, staff, and children.

Travel Update

We are excited to share the news that 25 families in our China program and 4 families in our Ethiopia program met their children for the first time today! We also currently have 5 families from our Rwanda program in Africa this week. We are thankful for the Lord’s faithfulness to each of these families and rejoice as they have their children in their arms at last!

Our China travel group consists of 13 families from our China Waiting Children program and 12 families in the healthy referral program. The families will be in their child’s province this week then headed to Guangzhou on Friday to obtain their child’s US visa at the US Consulate. Families in the group are adopting from the Hunan, Guangdong, Gansu, Guangxi, Henan, Jiangxi,  and Yunnan provinces. We rejoice with these families as they begin to get to know their precious children after a long wait.

The four families in Ethiopia met their children today and spent the day with them at our transition home in Addis Ababa. During their time in Addis Ababa the families will be meeting with our transition home doctor, visiting two of the orphanages we work with, and obtaining their child’s US visa.

Our Rwanda program has continued to grow and we are blessed to have sent our largest group of families to Rwanda yet! Families in this program spend their first week in Rwanda meeting their child and completing local adoption paperwork then travel to Ethiopia to obtain their child’s US visa.

Please keep our traveling families in your prayers as they continue to bond with their children and complete their adoption paperwork.