News: Adoption Tax Credit Extended!

There has been confirmation that the Adoption Tax Credit, which was scheduled to expire in 2010, was extended for one year (through December 31, 2011).

Here are the highlights of the Adoption Tax Credit changes:

*  The maximum credit was increased from $12, 150 to $13,170.

*  The Adoption Tax Credit is now retroactive.  This represents a potential increase of $1,000 for adoptive families.

*  The Adoption Tax Credit was made refundable.  If a family has no tax liability, the IRS will refund the amount due.

Note: The extension of the Adoption Tax Credit through 2011, was passed as part of the health care reform bill which was signed into law by President Obama on Monday, March 22, 2010.  There was some concern that the Adoption Tax Credit would be included in the reconciliation process, however we have confirmed that it is not part of reconciliation.  This means that the Adoption Tax Credit is law until December 31, 2011.

Our efforts in advocating for the extension and hopeful permanency of the Adoption Tax Credit have been many.  We thank those of you who have joined in these efforts for the benefits of the many children in need of families and families dreaming of children!

February - Twice Blessed

In February, five precious babies

received the selfless, sacrificial 

LOVE of a birth mother and the

unconditional, embracing LOVE

of an adoptive family resulting

in a double blessing of love that 

multiplies.

Relationships for Life and Adoption!

AAI staff is focusing on RELATIONSHIPS with those who cross paths with women in unplanned pregnancies for the purpose of communicating the message of LIFE and ADOPTION!  After a careful look at our referral sources we are certain that RELATIONSHIPS are key.  Many of those in the medical and public social service arenas shared that they struggle with how to professionally approach the topic of LIFE and ADOPTION with women who are weighed down by deciding how to proceed with her pregnancy.  We want to help! February proved to be a busy month of connecting with new faces and reestablishing our support and working, professional relationships with those at OB/GYN offices, abortion clinics, crisis pregnancy centers, hospitals, college and high school campuses throughout Michigan.  We are also in process of launching a new birth mother website to reach women throughout the United States. Do you have places in your community that we can connect with to share the message of LIFE and ADOPTION?  Contact your caseworker with any suggestions you might have!

Take ACTION!

Coming together is a beginning.

Keeping together is progress. 

Working together is success.-- Henry Ford

Let's work together to help couples to continue to have the ability to adopt children and make forever families. The Federal Adoption Tax Credit is set to expire on December 31, 2010. In 2009 the tax credit was $12,150, and in 2010 the tax credit will be $12,170. We are urging everyone to contact their US Senators and US Representatives and let them know how important this is to the future of adoption. We would like to have the tax credit made permanent.

Attached is a form letter that can be used, or please pen your own letter. We also are including links to find your Senators and Representatives which service the area in which you live. Please send this email on to family, friends, coworkers, and church families to enlist their help to maintain this adoption assistance.

This link is to find and contact the US Senators: 

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators

This link is to find and contact the US Representatives:

https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

There is a bill, the Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act, in the Senate (S.2816) and the House of Representatives (H.R. 213) proposed to make this tax credit permanent. This bill has been referred to committee and Senator Debbie Stabenow, Representatives David Camp and Sander Levin from Michigan are on these committees for this bill.

Dear (add the name of your senator or representative),

We are writing today to request that you will pass current legislation, the Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act, which would make the Adoption Tax Credit permanent. (S. 2816 and H.R. 213) This Tax Credit is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2010. A permanent adoption tax credit presents a win-win situation as it promotes adoption , all the while making good economic sense. The cost of adoption is prohibitive for many tax payers. The need for and appropriateness of a permanent adoption tax credit could not be clearer with the number of children needing permanent homes and families. Adoption benefits all society, not only those who adopt or are adopted, because children raised in loving, stable families grow up to be good citizens and productive members of their communities.

Please vote to make permanent the Adoption Tax Credit. This is positive for everyone.

Respectfully,

(Sign your name)