Thinking about using WACAP - Check This Out - $100.00 OFF!!

If you want to learn more about what WACAP has to offer, WACAP can be reached directly by phone at (206) 575-4550.  The short of it is that they have International Adoption Programs and a program they call US Kids which strives to find homes for children in the foster care system in the US.  You can check out their fee schedule here. 

 

Online Matching Event - Sponsered by A Family for Every Child

Last chance! 

 

A Family for Every Child is hosting an online child matching event on Wednesday, June 5th. Their online matching events allow home study approved families the ability to ask social workers questions straight through our online webinar! You will not want to miss this opportunity to find the right child for your forever family!    The online child matching with AFFEC event takes place on Wednesday June 5th, at 1PM PST, 2PM MST, 3PM CST, 4PM EST. Register Here!   Social workers will be on hand to answer questions and give feedback and information about the type of families that would be the best match for these children. Once the event has concluded families will be given the opportunity to submit their homestudy on children that they feel would be a good fit for their families. Register before it's too late!

Have you heard of this FREE Matching Program?

This program seems awesome.  Anyone want to try it and tell us about your experience?  We'd love to know what you learn.  Seems like a great way to be productive while in the "Finding" Phase. ;-)

AFFEC - Matching Assistance Program

 

Our Matching Assistance Program is FREE! By changing our program to a free program, we hope to better fulfill our mission of finding loving, permanent families for waiting foster children. Our program is designed to assist current approved home studied families looking to adopt waiting foster children. Our goal is to work alongside families, providing them with one-on-one communication, assurance, and support during the submission and waiting process.   As a member of Matching Assistance you will have the ability to submit your home study and family profile for over 2000 waiting children and sibling groups listed on our site, with the assurance that your submission is going directly to a child's caseworker. Your adoption worker will be cc'd on all submissions so they remain in the loop at all times.   In addition, you will be assigned a Family Adoption Specialist volunteer to provide support, resources and guidance; you will have the opportunity to partake in our very successful recruitment options; you will receive weekly how to emails containing valuable information and resources about foster care adoption; have access to knowledgeable and helpful staff, and more! Those are just a few of our great benefits!   Sign up today to take full advantage of our free program!

A Great Sucess Story (re-posted from AFFEC's newsletter)

Success Story from AFFEC

After providing foster care for several years, we had some concerns that adopting through foster care may be challenging. We saw first-hand what children go through in regards to the system and it was heartbreaking. We were nervous, but were certain we wanted to provide a home to children waiting for a forever family.    We were thrilled to start working with the AFFEC. Immediately we knew the genuine concern they all had for children, and they were so positive! It was refreshing - we knew right away that something good was going to happen.    The moment we met the girls, we knew we were going to love them forever. Miley, the oldest, shared with us her dream to have a mom and a dad and to be safe. Our hearts melted. The twins were giggly and funny, but a little behind physically. They were out of breath going down a few stairs during our first visit to the children's museum. We knew with time, living our busy lifestyle things would change.    Nine months later, the twins run, ride bikes, dance, take swim lessons and jump on the trampoline. Our days are complete with talking, dance parties (in our living room), camping trips, backyard adventures, walks and lots of singing and laughter. We have discovered that providing security and sharing new experiences is the most rewarding feeling imaginable.     One of our most unexpected discoveries is realizing that adopting an older child could be so rewarding! Miley believes she is the luckiest girl in the world. She shares with us daily her appreciation for her new life.   What we truly believe, is WE are the luckiest people in the world. We have received the opportunity to change the lives of these children forever and, in the process, our life has been truly blessed.

"We Are Family" day at Safeco Field - Sunday, May 12th

In partnership with the Seattle Mariners, Children’s Administration will hold its fifth annual “We Are Family” day event at Safeco Field on Sunday, May 12. May features National Foster Care Month and Kinship Caregiver Day.  Spend a day at the ballpark celebrating the youth and families of foster care, kinship care and adoption, and the many social workers, agencies and community members that support them. Receive a FREE Seattle Mariners We Are Family Day T-shirt when purchasing tickets through this special online offer!

Thousands of caregivers, kids, and others involved with child welfare have attended this event in past years. This year’s event is on Mother’s Day, which presents a great opportunity to take mom and the whole family to the ballpark.

The game between the Mariners and the Oakland A's will begin at 1:10 p.m. and will be preceded by a pre-game ceremony from 10-11 a.m. at the Ellis Pavilion. The pavilion entrance is on First Avenue, the south side of Safeco Field. Everyone who attends the pre-game ceremony will receive a raffle ticket and an opportunity to win numerous items.

Discounted tickets for the game are available at two different prices: $11 per ticket for a seat in the 300-level, and $25 per ticket at the 100-level. Don’t miss the information tables on the 100 level behind the bull pen – you will find numerous organizations providing foster care recruitment materials and support information for caregivers.

Tickets for “We Are Family” can be purchased through this link: http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/sea/ticketing/special_group.jsp?group=wearefamily                      

Looking for a good adoption related read?

Check out this suggested reading list by Adoptive Families.  They offer a large variety of information regarding adoption but I especially liked these pre-adoption suggested reads.

If you are interested in learning more about "taking about adoption" they have some great ideas here.  Overall, Adoptive Families has some helpful information and resources that are totally worth checking out!

The Dark Matter of Love - A Documentary about Adoption and Attachement -- Check out the film website and watch for this film to appear in your area or maybe even on Netflix

DOCUMENTARY FILM SCREENING

The Center for Adoption Support and Education, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute and the National Council for Adoption are jointly sponsoring this screening to increase the community's awareness of the complexity of moving children into adoptive families with histories of trauma, severed attachments and profound loss.

In this film, Masha, an eleven year old Russian girl, learns to love her adoptive American family through a scientific intervention. Professor Emeritus Dr. Robert Marvin, an expert in attachment, has spent a lifetime developing a program to help children learn to love. Rare footage of his extraordinary experiment is woven through the story of Masha learning to love for the very first time. 

Please join Dr. Robert Marvin in the discussion about our community's continued investment in accessible and effective post adoption  services for families faced with these challenges.

Visit the film website

Watch the two and a half minute trailer

You are invited to a FREE documentary film screening of THE DARK MATTER OF LOVE on Monday, April 22 at 6:00pm in Washington, DC at the US State Capital -- If you happen to be headed to "the other Washington" in April. ;-)

Register HERE to register to view the film at the US State Capital in DC on April 22nd.

Want to See the doccumentary Stuck with us on Thursday, April 5th at 7pm???

Stuck is playing in Seattle on Thursday, April 4th at 7pm in the Landmark Varsity Theater.  Some if us will be meeting in Renton at 5:30pm in the Family Service Building (220 S. 3rd Place, Renton, 98057) and carpooling over together.  Or, you can meet us there.  We'd love to grab a snack and chat for a few minutes after the show.

Here's a bit about the tour:

Our most powerful tool is the feature length documentary film, STUCK. The purpose of the film is to help the average person understand the issues and create a movement that will ultimately put pressure on U.S. officials to force a more supportive attitude toward International Adoption.

The film will premiere in sequence as we roll across the country on the tour bus, visiting 60 cities in 80 days. While the highlight of each city visit will be the premiere of the film, our goal is to make the visit to each city much more than a film premiere, but an all day event, with media appearances, speeches and discussions in multiple gatherings. The framework for the tour gives us the possibility to make STUCK a phenomenon.

 You can get your tickets here:  https://bothendsburning.org/initiatives/stuck-tour/itinerary/

 

Check out this blog - United for Adoption

http://unitedforadoption.blogspot.com/

Here are some  links to the articles that I found interesting:

The Tummy Mummy -

Mom -

They also have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/UnitedForAdoption?ref=ts&fref=ts

 

PCOS - A Patient's Guide (A Book Review by Sherilan )

Walter Futterweit, M.D., author of the book "A Patient's Guide to PCOS: Understanding and Reversing Polycystic Ovary Syndrome", has extensive experience helping OB/GYN patients with PCOS.  

My "take home" points that I got from the book were about diet, exercise and weight all with an underlying issue regarding insulin. PCOS patients are insulin resistant.  Insulin is produced by the body to deal with glucose in the blood.  Insulin resistant individuals produce more insulin than usual. Increased insulin levels affect hormone levels such as producing more testosterone that may cause increased facial/body hair, increased hair loss, and infertility among other things.  It is NOT diabetes but PCOS patients have an increased risk of developing diabetes.

 

Increased blood-glucose levels lead to increased insulin levels. To control insulin levels and keep them from being too high, diet is crucial. Glucose is sugar from carbohydrates.  Blood-glucose levels increase most rapidly when someone has eaten sugary foods or refined grain products such as white flour or white rice.  Thus a PCOS needs to remove these items from their diet.  Dr. Futterweit suggests few carbohydrates in the diet, all of which should come from whole grains which turn to glucose much slower in the digestive system.  A focus is placed on low-fat protein and vegetables.  Smaller and more frequent meals are also encouraged.  Carbohydrate snacks are discouraged, but if you eat carbohydrates make them whole grain and always include protein with your snack or meal.  The protein further helps blood-glucose levels from increasing too quickly.  Examples; eat an apple with peanut butter, eat whole grain crackers with tuna fish.  Fruit is full of sugar and should be eaten sparingly for a PCOS patient.  The book includes menu ideas for meals as well as snacks which are very helpful.

 

When insulin levels are high, such as in a PCOS, patient a period of time after having eaten a high carb snack, then blood-glucose levels are low after having been high and the individual then craves more carbs.  Protein rich snacks with whole grains are the best option to prevent this cycle.  This cycle creates increased average weights in PCOS individuals and Dr. Futterweit explains that to get hormone levels at more normal levels the individual should get the extra weight off.  Exercise daily is strongly pushed.  Exercise helps with healthy hormone levels and in getting the weight off which also helps with healthy hormone levels.  Eating healthy and decreased portions are also encouraged for decreasing weight.

 

Dr. Futterweit encourages Metformin strongly (over 1000 mg per day) to help with insulin levels. If this cocktail of diet, decreased weight, exercise and metformin still leaves you without a baby, Clomid can possibly help.  If Clomid hasn't worked for you in the past the combination may be what you need.

 

This helpful book also has sections on hair loss, facial hair and other troublesome symptoms of the PCOS patient and how to deal with them.  It also covers diagnosis.

 

This is a great read full of valuable information for the PCOS patient.  Other's have said it's the best PCOS book out there about infertility.  I would agree. I strongly recommend it!! A little over a year after embracing the concepts within this book we welcomed a beautiful baby girl into our family!  Good luck! 

 

Sherilan Shurtleff

Colin Kaepernick's Birth Mother - An Interesting Video and View into Adoption in the Media

Not Able to Be a Foster Parent, but Looking for a Way to Support Foster Children and Your Community?

Consider Helping AFFEC with LifeBooks, Welcome Books & Scrapbooking

Now National!

LifeBooks are created for foster children to tell their story much like a scrapbook.

Welcome Books are created by adoptive parents as a way to introduce a child to his or her new family.

Our LifeBook Team puts together pre-made scrapbook pages for caseworkers, foster parents and adoptive parents to use in their scrapbook creations.

We have heard it is the best gift in the world for a foster child or adoptee.

We are looking for more members to join our Life Book Team; are you interested?

We need you, your creativity (we can lend you some if you think you don't have any), and your time in order to create these gifts for local foster children.

Adoption Life Books resemble scrapbooks and, like scrapbooks, there are a lot of ways to be involved.

Request help with a LifeBook or LifeBook supplies

Click here to help make Life Books

 

Click here to visit the AFFEC website

 

Curious? Interested? If so, please contact any of the following:

Sandra Estep

LifeBook Coordinator

541-687-9641

lifebook@afamilyforeverychild.org

Gail Van Gundy

LifeBook Coordinator

541-688-1488

lifebook@afamilyforeverychild.org

Share Your Story and Learn More about iChooseAdoption

Dear Friend of Adoption,

We invite you to share your adoption story with us so that we can raise awareness about the positive option of adoption through our all-new iChooseAdoption campaign. Your video and/or written testimonial may appear on NCFA’s brand new iChooseAdoption.org website, launching later this month!

You might be a birthparent, adopted person, or a parent by adoption. We want to hear from all members of the adoption triad so that young women facing unintended pregnancy can gain multiple perspectives from real people about the positive option of adoption.

You can submit a written testimonial by clicking here, or e-mail us a video testimonial to Lauren Koch at: lkoch@adoptioncouncil.org with the subject line “Adoption Video Testimonial.” Include one or two photos of yourself/your family for inclusion in your video. You can even submit a written testimonialAND a video testimonial (please be sure to review the video guidelines below).

Video Guidelines

1. Please take a moment to watch the following video testimonials, previously submitted to NCFA:

• Birthmother: Click here to watch “All You Need is Love”
• Adopted Person: Click here to watch “Thankful to my Birthmother”
• Adoptive Parent: Click here to watch “My Daughter’s Adoption Story”

2. Files should be in .mov (preferred) or .wmv format
3. Video length should not exceed 90 seconds
4. Do not add music and/or audio files or tracks to your video
Check for good lighting, sound quality and minimize background noise
5. Use positive, affirming words about adoption. Profanity, inflammatory, derogatory, and/or judgmental language will not be tolerated.

Questions?
Feel free to call or email Lauren Koch if you have any questions at (703) 299-6633 or lkoch@adoptioncouncil.org.

Important

By submitting your video testimonial, you give NCFA permission to use, reproduce, and publish your video to promote the cause of adoption. NCFA will title your story, add background music, and include a closing frame directing viewers to iChooseAdoption.org.

---

Sneak peek! Here's the all-new iChooseAdoption.org
Share Your Story webpage

To learn more about NCFA’s all-new iChooseAdoption campaign, click here.

Tax Credit Info - Thanks Bethany Christian Services for sharing this great news!

You did it! You helped to extend the Adoption Tax Credit!Congress included an extension of the Adoption Tax Credit in the "fiscal cliff" budget negotiations! Many details are still unknown, but we know of three significant changes:

1. The Adoption Tax Credit is extended permanently.
2. The Credit is set at $12,000 rather than the $6,000 that it was set to revert to for adoption of domestic children with special placement needs.
3. As far as we know, the credit will apply to all adoptions, as it did previously.

We are awaiting final definitions from the IRS regarding eligibility for the credit. More details of the American Taxpayer Relief Act are available here. This is the form to complete for your 2012 taxes: www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8839.pdf.

A Free Course on the Adoption Tax Credit from Adoption Learning Partners (ALP)

 Updated Adoption Tax Credit Course: 

January, 2013 for the 2012 tax year!

This FREE course takes into account changes instituted by the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 which was signed January 2, 2013.

This course will help you:

• Determine your eligibility for the adoption tax credit
• See how the adoption tax credit applies to different types of adoption and varying financial situations
• Prepare for year-end planning to better work with a tax professional

 

Take Adoption Tax Credit Now!

Ways You Can Be Involved with AFFEC

It Takes a Village and AFFEC Needs You! 

We want and need your help to spread the word! Here are ways you can help us recruit for kids: 

- Email us any supports, training's, activities, blogs, anything that could help. Contact: christy@afamilyforeverychild.org  

- Become a volunteer

- Donate, attend, or become a sponsor at our event

- Host a Heart Gallery: joanne@afamilyforeverychild.org  

- Become a mentor: christina.para@afamilyforeverychild.org  

Questions? Ideas? christy@afamilyforeverychild.org

To Visit AFFEC's  (A Family for Every Child) Website, click here!

An update on the Adoption Tax Credit from AFFEC

 Adoption Tax Credits

What is the adoption tax credit?

The adoption tax credit, which can be claimed for eligible adoption-related expenses, has helped thousands of American families offset the high cost of adoption since the credit was established in 1997. The credit applies to all types of adoption (except stepparent adoption), including international, domestic private, and public foster care. Since 2003, families who adopted children with special needs could claim the maximum credit regardless of their qualified adoption expenses. The credit has made adoption a more viable option for many parents who might not otherwise have been able to afford adoption, allowing them to provide children with loving, permanent families.

What is the current status of the adoption tax credit?

The legislation to avoid the fiscal cliff (the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, signed into law on January 2, 2013) included a provision that made the adoption tax credit permanent. It did not make the adoption credit refundable, so it will only benefit those adoptive families who have federal income tax liability.

The credit is still "flat" for special needs adoptions, meaning families who adopt a child with special needs (see special needs question below) do not need to document qualified adoption expenses.

What does it mean that the adoption tax credit is permanent?

A permanent tax credit is one that was extended without a specific expiration or sunset date. Congress can still choose to make changes to the credit in future legislation.

What is the maximum amount of the credit for 2013? At what income level does the credit begin to phase out?

For 2013, the maximum adoption credit and exclusion $12,970 per child. The credit will begin to phase out for families with modified adjusted gross incomes above $194,580 and the credit will go away completely for those with incomes around $234,580.

Since the credit is per child, the maximum you claim depends on the number of children you adopt. If you adopt two children in 2013, your maximum is $12,970 x 2 or $25,940. If you adopt four children, the maximum is $12,970 x 4 or $51,880. For purposes of the tax credit, there is no limitation on the number of children you can adopt.

Can I receive the credit if I adopted a child from another country?

Yes, once the adoption is legally finalized, either in the child's home country or in the U.S., you can claim your qualified adoption expenses, up to the maximum.

Is the tax credit for all adoptions or just special needs? Can I receive the credit if I adopted a healthy child? What kinds of adoptions benefit from the tax credit?

The adoption credit is for all adoptions other than stepparent adoptions (international, domestic private, and public foster care). See below for more information about how special needs adoptions are different.

What are qualified adoption expenses?

The IRS writes: "Qualified adoption expenses are reasonable and necessary expenses directly related to, and for the principal purpose of, the legal adoption of an eligible child.

Qualified adoption expenses include:

• Adoption fees,
• Attorney fees,
• Court costs,
• Travel expenses (including meals and lodging) while away from home, and
• Re-adoption expenses relating to the adoption of a foreign child.

Many Changes are Coming Soon

Hi Friends of Adoption,

I thought I should warn you that many changes are coming soon to LDSFS and Families Supporting Adoption.  Perhaps you have already noticed many of the blogs related to FSA are disappearing one by one.  The Oregon Chapter has deleted their blog and it is no longer possible to read the National FSA Blog.  When one click's on the formal FSA National Blog link, the following message appears:

This blog is open to invited readers only

http://familiessupportingadoption.blogspot.com/

It doesn't look like you have been invited to read this blog. If you think this is a mistake, you might want to contact the blog author and request an invitation.

This blog will change soon based on the fact that "a decision has been made at the general Church level that individuals and organizations that are linked to the Church...should not host blogs...this is a result of concern over public relations issues related to the Church and it's mission being inaccurately portrayed or perceived through these blogs...local FSA blogs may be most affected by this change in our area."

I am gathering additional information and beginning this process.  I support and value adoption and feel that many people have contributed a lot of time and resources over the years to provide information for this blog and many other well written blogs formarly associated with Families Supporting Adoption.  To me it is tragic to have all of this information lost.  I hope we will be able to find a way to preserve a portion of this information and the connections we have made as participants in FSA.  More information will be coming your way as I learn more.  Please note that I am writing this as an individual and my words are in no way associated with any church or agency but are mine alone unless in quotations. 

 

 

Monday, February 13th is Adoption Tax Credit Awareness Day

Adoption Tax Credit Awareness Day

 

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, the North American Council on Adoptable Children and the National Resource Centers are forwarding information to states to help support the Adoption Tax Credit Awareness Day, set for Monday, February 13th. Please help us distribute information to families in your area who have adopted.

All parts of the adoption community including state agencies, child welfare programs, private child placing agencies, adoptive families, etc. are asked to take part in the first grassroots Adoption Tax Credit Awareness Day. Unfortunately, many adoptive families are still not aware that this tax credit exists. It is our goal to ensure all adoptive families who are eligible to receive this benefit are informed about how to claim the credit. Please help distribute information to adoptive families about the availability of this refundable tax credit. This tax credit is a benefit available to adoptive families including those families who adopted a child with special needs through a state agency. The credit is a potential resource to families who adopted children back as far as 2005 - especially if they were not able to take full advantage of the tax credit in those years, as the unused balance may still be refundable to families who had unused credit in 2010.

All families who completed adoptions in 2011 should be made aware of this refundable tax credit, which this year is set for $13,360.00 per child. Because many of the families that completed adoptions were relatives, they may not have been made aware of this tax credit.

Families that adopted children with special needs do not have to have qualified adoption expenses in order to claim the credit. If adoptive families have questions about this tax credit, they should contact their tax preparer.

Meet Brian and Chriss Butt - Who Are New to Our Area and Super Jazzed about Adoption!

Allow me (Tawnia) to introduce a new couple to our FSA group.  Brian and Chriss Butt recently moved to Washington from Utah with their son they adopted through Premier Adoption Agency. Here is what Chriss had to say about their adoption experience:

We started with LDS Family Services and actively waited a year and a half with no contact from expectant mothers. We were doing everything the agency suggested we do to spread our news we had our blog, our pass-along cards and talked to everyone we knew about our desire to adopt and if they would pass our information on to anyone they knew.  We had been to a workshop through Families Supporting Adoption about other agencies and foster care, we learned about Premier from some other couples that had been placed through them. After much prayer, we felt that our child would come to us through Premier.

Some of the things that we really liked about Premier were that they only work with a max of 40 adoptive couples at a time. When I called them they said they have been nowhere near this number in several years. We liked that they had full-time employees; we were always able to work with the same person. Most of all we liked that they had a sliding scale based off of income and not the race of the child as all the other agencies we had looked into did.

When you are presented with a situation they give you the medical and social history information and you know up front what, if any additional costs may be. This agency doesn’t move the expectant mothers to different States, so you would be dealing with ICPC, but the majority of expectant mothers medical expenses are covered by Medicare.  

We had our application in with them for two weeks when we were contacted about a situation, and two months before we were matched! We have a great semi-open adoption with our son’s birth parents and got to be there for the birth of our son in August. So far in 2012, they have had 28 placements, in the last two years we personally know of seven families that have been placed with them. They accept LDS FS homestudies and you can be with both agencies at the same time. LDS FS doesn’t release portions of the homestudy so you do have to get new originals for the background checks, reference letters, and medical forms.
 

If you have any questions about Premier you can check them out online at http://www.premieradoption.org/
 

Or feel free to contact us at: Brianandchrissadopting@gmail.com

We look forward to getting to know more of you and supporting adoption.

Brian and Chriss

Princess for A Day Sponsered by A Family for Every Child

Children throughout the country are waiting for loving homes and it is the goal of A Family For Every Child to find forever families for each one of these special children.

This year will be A Family For Every Child's 6th Annual Princess for a Day Event. Our annual gift to Foster Girls throughout Oregon. These well deserving girls ages 2-18 receive a special day full of the royal treatment; getting their hair and makeup done, picking out their ball gown, and finally having a tea party with prince charming.

In 2012 we served over 325 Princesses, because of the generosity of our community and families all over the country. We hope to serve more and more princesses each year and reach out to other communities to help them create their own Princess for a Day Event.

Did you find a Christmas Dress in the Closet that was too small this year? We will take all your old dress off your hands for our Princess for a Day event. We will take dress donation of all sizes. Drop off or mail your old dress to 1675 West 11th, Eugene OR 97402 Donation Timeline We have created a timeline for each month, up until the event, for all the donations. This is so we can collect specific items for different months and anyone who would like to donate will have ideas of what we are in need of. However, we will still be accepting any donations during each month. Feel free to visit our online Wish List for the list of items we need! December: This month is all about the DRESSES! If there are any dresses sitting in your closet and collecting dust, donate them to us! We will gladly accept princess dresses of all sizes! Clean out your closet and donate those Holiday Dresses that are to small! January: This month will focus on WANDS and TIARAS! It will be the start of a new year, and the event will be just right around the corner! We will be in need of all the finishing touches to all the dresses we will collect the month before. February: One more month to go! This month will be all about the BLING! Anything pink and sparkly that the Princesses can wear will be greatly appreciated! Necklaces, bracelets, rings...you name it! Click Here to Register your Princess! Sunday, March 3rd 10am-5pm At the Valley River Inn $50 for non-foster girls Admission free for foster girls Contact for more information: 541-343-2856 Linzy@afamilyforeverychild.org This is a special occasion where girls (both in foster care and general admission) can come and get "Pampered" and enjoy a Tea Party. Watch a Video From Last Years Princess For A Day Event 2012 The Princess gets a gown to take home, a crown and slippers too. She has her hair  and nails done, a photo shoot, and a tea party. The parent, guardian, or foster parent who brings the Princess will also have lunch as her royal guest! Foster children are admitted free. General admission for other princesses is $50.00. Advanced registration is required for all girls. This is a girls only affair. All girls are welcome to be accompanied by their King or Queen. Due to limited space we can  only accommodate the Princesses and one adult, so please leave the extra princess and wicked step-sisters home at the Castle.

A Letter from Congressman Smith regarding The Making Adoption Affordable Act

Did you write your Congressman regarding The Making Adoption Affordable Act. H.R. 4373?? Sarah did and below is what Adam Smith had to say in response to her contact. 

December 21, 2012

Mrs. Sarah Rawls

Steilacoom, Washington 98388

Dear Sarah,

Thank you for contacting me regarding H.R. 4373, the Making Adoption Affordable Act. I appreciate hearing your thoughts on this important issue and I value this opportunity to respond.

I support adoption and making it easier for families to bring children into a safe and nurturing environment. I have been a long supporter of legislation that supports families that seek to adopt and creates a smooth transition and a promising future for adopted children.

As you may know, the federal government provides assistance for the adoption of children through federal grants to states and through tax expenditures for families. Although federal assistance programs for adoption focus primarily on children adopted out of Foster Care, federal adoption tax provisions are available for all adoptions (except for adoptions of stepchildren). 

Congress created federal tax assistance for adoption by enacting the Small Business and Job Protection Act of 1996. The Act added tax incentives for adoption to the existing federal adoption assistance grant programs by creating a tax credit and an income tax exclusion of up to $5,000 per adoption and $6,000 per adoption of a special needs child. The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act (EGTRRA) of 2001 provided an increase in qualified expenses for the credit and the income tax exclusion to $10,000 (indexed for inflation), but with a sunset period. Beginning in 2011, the prior law limits of $5,000 and $6,000 became effective again unless extended in new legislation.

For tax years 2010 and 2011, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) made the adoption tax credit refundable. The Affordable Care Act also increased the qualified expenses for the adoption tax credit and the income tax exclusion for employer provided adoption assistance to $13,170 for tax year 2010, with this amount indexed for inflation in 2011.

The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 extended the EGTRRA provisions for adoption to tax year 2012. Unless EGTRRA is extended, prior tax exclusion limits of $5,000 and $6,000 will take effect beginning in tax year 2013.

The tax credit and the income tax exclusion significantly limit who may benefit from the tax provisions. Both provisions are subject to a phase-out rule, which creates an income cap, and puts in place a minimum income level on the use of the tax credit. These provisions limit the number of taxpayers who benefit from the credit. As a result, in tax year 2008, very few families with an adjusted gross income of less than $30,000, or with an adjusted gross income of $200,000 or more, claimed the credit. In tax year 2008, approximately 86,600 tax returns, or 06% of all tax returns, included a claim for the adoption tax credit, with a total credit value claimed of $353.5 million. 

Thank you for calling my attention to H.R. 4373, The Making Adoption Affordable Act. H.R. 4373 was introduced by Representative Bruce Braley on April 7, 2012. This legislation seeks to support families that wish to adopt by providing tax credit for adoption expenses increasing exclusion from gross income for amounts paid by an employer for adoption expenses that were enacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. H.R. 4373 is currently pending with the House Committee on Ways and Means.

I look forward to reviewing this legislation. Should this or any other bill concerning adoption come to the House floor for consideration, please be assured I will keep your support in mind. Please feel free to contact me at any time should you have further questions or concerns on this or any other issue.

Sincerely,

Adam Smith
Member of Congress

http://adamsmith.house.gov| YouTube | Twitter |E-Newsletter | RSS

If you'd like to receive occasional e-mail updates from my office, please visit my website to sign up - http://adamsmith.house.gov.