Update on Adoption Tax Credit

This past week, the Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act, Senate Bill 2816, was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Jim Bunning (R-Kentucky) and Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska). The aim of this Bill is to repeal the “sunset” or ending of the Adoption Tax Credit and Adoption Assistance Programs that were part of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001.  The Bill was introduced with the strong support of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, the National Council for Adoption and RESOLVE, the national infertility support association.   If enacted as introduced it would make the Adoption Tax Credit and the employer Adoption Assistance Program a permanent part of the tax laws and would make the tax credit more taxpayer friendly by allowing all eligible adoption expenses for domestic adoptions to be claimed in the year they are paid or incurred, rather than in later years as is often the case under present law.  If this Bill extending adoption related tax benefits is not passed, adoption related expenses paid or incurred would not be given any favorable tax treatment as was the case some 10 years ago.  Please contact your Senators and Representatives in Washington, D.C. and encourage them to give all of their support this Bill that would extend the very favorable laws that have helped so many families be able to adopt and provide loving homes for many thousands of children.   Now is a time to keep moving forward in our committment to help children find loving homes rather than to go backward.