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Adoption Tax Credit - We Need Your Help

Posted February 24, 2010 by Shannon Suda

Many people need your help to encourage your Senators and Representatives to support making the adoption tax credit permanent.

As it stands now, the tax credit put in place in 2001 will expire in December 2010. If an adoption finalizes in 2010, the tax credit will still be in effect.  However, as the law states, after December 2010, the adoption credit will be reduced to $5,000 - $6,000.

Adoption costs can exceed $15,000 and can be up to $45,000 - $50,000, depending on the type of adoption and country of choice for each family. Right now the credit is $12,150 with limitations based upon salary.  It would be a tragedy for a family not to grow through adoption due to financial hardship from this tax credit not being permanent.

So could I ask that anyone who has been touched by adoption to take a minute to help? We need people to write to their Representatives and Senate to ask them to co-sponsor the bill that will make this credit permanent.

Here is a step-by-step guide of how to help:

1. Start by contacting your Representatives first, then contact Senators.  Find the name and Washington, D.C. mailing address of your Representatives and Senators at http://www.govtrack.us/congress/findyourreps.xpd . For Wisconsin, your Senators and Representatives can be found here. http://www.govtrack.us/congress/findyourreps.xpd?state=WI

2. To find the status of the bill currently, it can be found at http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-213

Verify if your Congresspersons are already co-sponsors of the legislation. (For anyone in WI – only two of the eight Representatives are co-sponsoring, so write and spread the word to others to write!)

 
3. If your representatives have not signed on as co-sponsors of the bill, send them your request that they do so. Tell them how important the tax credit was to you when you adopted your children, or how much you and other families you know are counting on it to be available in the future. Emphasize that the tax credit truly results in more children finding homes. Tell them that this is so important to you that you will be following the bill’s progress through Congress.

4. Family Photo: While e-mails are valuable, but there isn’t a picture.   A written note with a picture of your family or your children will be most effective. When writing, it is recommended to be personal, short, targeted and informative.

5. If any of your Congresspersons are already co-sponsors, write them a thank-you note. Again, letters sent by snail-mail with photos of your children will receive more attention.

           6.  Send this to family and friends, so they can make contact with their Congress.