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.

CEO Update

While our office is catching up from the huge snowstorm last week, I want to make a special mention of the China Waiting Children Program that was able to process over 20 referrals during the time our office was officially closed.  Thanks to Melissa, Aimee and the whole team who went above-and-beyond once again.  This team has helped complete over 50 referrals since the first of the year!

In many of the states where we’re licensed, we are seeking to add adoptive families to the Board of Directors.  If you live in CA, FL, KS, MN, NC, NY, OH, PA, or WA and would be interested in joining the state office’s Board of Directors, please contact Julia.Norris@awaa.org.  This only requires a few hours of commitment a month.

As of late last week, we have another family home from El Salvador – I spoke with the family and offered my congratulations on their new son.  Other families are still waiting to be matched and we’re working with the government to make this a reality.  I will be traveling to El Salvador and Honduras again at the end of this month to continue to follow-up on the initiatives we have in both countries.

“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” -Galatians 4:4-6

-- Brian Luwis, CEO

Immunization Recommendations by the CDC

Families should note the following information from the US Department of State regarding Hepatitis A vaccinations, Hepatitis B screening, and Hepatitis B vaccinations:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC – www.cdc.gov ) now recommends Hepatitis A immunization for household members (including  babysitters or anyone who anticipates close personal contact) who will be returning to the US with a child who has been adopted from a country where hepatitis A is prevalent.  Screening for Hepatitis B is also recommended for children who were born in geographic regions where Hepatitis B is common. 

Under current law, children adopted from Hague countries, are required to present documentation of having received certain required vaccinations and screenings, including Hepatitis B.  Families can find more information about these regulations from the CDC at the following sites:

Hepatitis A
Updated Recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for Use of Hepatitis A Vaccine in Close Contacts of Newly Arriv¬ing International Adoptees

Hepatitis B Screening
http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HBV/PDFs/ChronicHepBTestingFlwUp.pdf
(recommendations for Routine Testing and Follow-up for Chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
Infection)

More information about Hepatitis A and B:
http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/

International Adoption Overview and Statistics:
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2010/chapter-7/international-adoptions.aspx

El Salvador Program Update

America World’s CEO, Brian Luwis is in El Salvador this week and plans to meet with the acting Procurador.  We also have just learned that Geraldine, the Director of OPA has been reassigned and there is a new Director of OPA.  Brian will be meeting tomorrow, November 12th with both the Directors of OPA and ISNA. Please pray for these meetings as Brian begins to develop new relationships with these officials and speaks for our families waiting to adopt.

Also, an America World prospective adoptive parent, Jenni Ramsey is leading a Visiting Orphan team to El Salvador this weekend and writes:

“I am leading the team to El Salvador next week with Visiting Orphans! There are 5 of us on the team from California, Nebraska and Kentucky. We are all prospective, adoptive families waiting to adopt in El Salvador. We will be gone from Nov 14-21. Most of our time will be spent at the Ciudad de Los Ninos orphanage. We are bringing gifts, supplies and financial aid to help the orphanage. We just learned that the electricity and water were shut off at the orphanage last week (because they were unable to pay the bill). It just breaks my heart to think that the staff and orphans are living without electricity and water today.

We will also be meeting with some government officials on Monday, November 16 to advocate for the plight of the orphans, and for international
adoption. PLEASE PRAY FOR THESE MEETINGS. Pray for favor as we communicate our hearts, burdens and frustrations in ongoing delays with
referrals. We know that God watches over the fatherless, and these children are in His hands. Please join us as we pray for walls to be broken, and for the necessary resources and decisions to be made so that children can be matched with 'forever families' soon...“

Please also pray for the families/individuals affected by the flooding taking place in El Salvador.  You can read more about this at www.news.bbc.co.uk .   It looks like the whole country has been hard hit but especially areas around San Salvador and the province of San Vicente.  Many people have been forced into shelters and many are without water and electricity.  

Thank you for joining us in these prayer requests.
 
Blessings,

Susan B. Maines, LSW, LCSW
Executive Director of Programs

Letter from Rachel Donoho

Dear fellow AWAA families,
 
I am writing to you from San Salvador as a new mother.  It is difficult to compress all the events and emotions we have gone through in the last two weeks into one blog.  Our adoption journey started in November 2005.  We accepted the call of adoption for our family at that time.  We knew we had an upcoming move so we could not start our paperwork until September of 2006.  In May of 2007 we submitted our completed dossier.  In July of 2008 we received our OPA approval.  In August of 2008, I accompanied Brain Luwis with other AWAA families to El Salvador and was able to meet our lawyer, Salvadoran adoption advocates and officials in the Consulate office at the American Embassy.  In September 2008, my husband and I drove halfway across the country to attend the Angels in Adoption event and were able to meet the Procurador, the director of OPA and reacquaint with others from El Salvador.  It was after this trip that we changed our immigration and home study to be willing to accept a sibling pair.  In each of these meetings we not only told our story but reminded those that there were many families waiting to adopt.
 
In November of 2008, we were told of a sibling pair that was going to the Joint Meeting to be paired with a family.  In December we found out they went to a family in Italy. In January of 2009, my husband led a mission trip from our church to El Salvador and through AWAA local contacts was again able to meet with the Procurador to remind him of all the waiting families in the States. In March of 2009, Susan Maines called us to let us know of another sibling pair that was available.  The day after Mother's day, we received the call that we had an official referral.  We immediately sent our acceptance to AWAA. In July we received pictures of our children.  And in September we received our court date, October 12, 2009.
 

USCIS Changes Mailing Addresses For Adoption Applications

Filing a first time I-600A or I-600 application
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a new address for prospective adoptive parents to submit Form I 600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, and Form I 600A, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition.  While the change takes affect immediately, applicants have a 30-day transition period before USCIS will return incorrectly filed petitions.
 
Applicants were previously required to file at a local USCIS field office. This new mailing system will allow USCIS to process applications more efficiently by eliminating duplicative work, and maximizing staff productivity. Affective immediately, applicants in the United States, who are filing to adopt an orphan, must submit Forms I 600 (if required to file in the U.S.) & form I 600A, and all supporting documents and fees to the following address:

Regular Mail:
USCIS
P.O. Box 299027
Lewisville, TX 75029

Express Mail or Courier Service Deliveries: (FedEx, UPS, etc.)
USCIS
ATTN: Hague
2501 S. State Hwy 121 Business, Suite 400
Lewisville, TX 75067

USCIS will forward incorrectly-filed Forms I-600A and I-600, application fees and supporting documents to the Lewisville, Texas  facility for the  30 days, until Friday November 9, 2009. 
Families filing a Hague I-800a/ I-800 Application
Effective immediately, U.S. citizens seeking to adopt a foreign child under the Hague Adoption Convention must submit Forms I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative, and I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country, and all related supplements, forms, and fees to the USCIS lockbox facility located in Lewisville, Texas for initial processing, using the following address:

Regular Mail:
USCIS
P.O. Box 299008
Lewisville, TX 75029

Express Mail & Courier Service Deliveries (FedEx, UPS, etc.)
USCIS
ATTN: Hague
2501 S. State Hwy. 121 Business, Suite 400
Lewisville, TX 75067

Previously, applicants were required to file these forms at the Chicago Lockbox facility.  The Chicago Lockbox facility will forward any filings of Hague Adoption Convention forms to the Lewisville Lockbox facility for the first 30 days after the effective date of the change of filing location.  USCIS will consider applications or petitions forwarded from the Chicago Lockbox facility or other USCIS offices properly filed when received at the new Lewisville, Texas Lockbox facility.

After the 30-day transition period, USCIS will return any incorrectly filed applications to the sender.

Families Filing an Extension of their I-800A or Filing the Supplement 3 Form
When filing to request a change on a  previous approval or renewing a current I-800A approval, families must submit the I-800A Supplement 3 form to the new USCIS Dallas, TX lockbox facility.

Families Filing an I-600A Grandfathered Renewal or Free Extension
Families filing an I-600A free extension or a grandfathered renewal I-600A application will continue to file all applicable renewal documents with the local office which has jurisdiction over the family’s case. Families in this category will not send their renewal documents to the new Texas location.

Additional Information
Families can verify the instructions for their particular case by going to www.uscis.gov , clicking “Forms” and then “Adoption Forms” and reviewing the I-600A or I-800A instructions. These instructions have been updated and will provide complete details of how each form or renewal should be filed. Families are encouraged to check with their social worker prior to filing,  to confirm if there are any exceptions in the state in which they live.

San Salvador - September 25th

Greetings my dearest  families:

I hope this letter finds you well. Here in El Salvador, after three months, we finally have a Prosecutor, who is the General Attorney; but we still do not have a PROCURADOR - amazing, isn’t it?!  The news says that the Procurador will be elected this next week, so I need to ask you to pray for the best decision and the best person with a heart for adoptions and kids in this position. As Timothy said “pray for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”

On the other hand, one of our families is coming down to El Salvador, so lets pray that they receive all the wisdom from God, to become good parents for their kids.

Thanks for your prayers and support.

God Bless,

Alexis

San Salvador - September 11th

Dear  Families:

I pray in my heart  that this letter finds you well. Here in El Salvador, everything is not moving as fast as we would like, but still moving - we have a new government, the Director of ISNA is a person who supoprts the adoption process. We have a couple of families ready for REUNION CONJUTNA and one coming down to El Salvador; so praise the Lord for that!  We have to continue praying for these kids in the orphanages.

God Bless,

Alexis Castro