As you probably know, the adoption tax credit, as we know it, is due to “sunset” at the end of this year unless Congress and the Administration do something to extend it. The logical thing it would seem is to jump on the bandwagon and start advocating for renewal, write letters, demand action now, right? Ah, is only it were that simple.
The Adoption Tax Credit is confusing–to put it mildly. It is complicated to apply for to be sure, but it is also confusing to know what will happen to this credit in the future and how best to advocate for its continuation. In part this is because of the convoluted way it has been amended, and in part it is because it has never been a permanent part of our federal tax code. President Obama has included the federal adoption tax credit in his Fiscal Year 2013 budget proposal submitted in February. A bipartisan group of members of Congress also support making it permanent, but given the current economic and political climate, anything can happen.
You have probably noticed that Creating a Family has not jumped on any of the petitions being circulated to support various bills that have been introduced in both the Senate and the House to extend the tax credit. Each bill has had some serious draw backs, and we have not wanted to lend our support or urge you to start advocating for any legislation until we are certain what is in the best interest of adoption, adoptive families, and children in need of families. The professional, educational, and advocacy adoption community have banded together to track new legislation and advocate on behalf of the adoption tax credit. At long last, we now have one strong, unified voice to advocate in Congress and to urge you to action.
We expect that the effort to make the adoption tax credit permanent will last through this year, and it is certainly possible that it might go into next year. We will be keeping you up to date with what is happening, and most important, on what you can do. We don’t want you to wear out on little efforts and petitions that will have no impact and sap your energy. We will be focusing our “calls to actions” through this unified campaign. There are three things we need you to do right now.
What To Do Right Now for the Adoption Tax Credit:
- Sign up for the Creating a Family weekly newsletter at the top left of this page. That will be our primary means of keeping you informed on what is happening and what you can do.
- “Like” the Save the Adoption Credit Facebook page.
- If you have a specific story about how the adoption tax credit has made a difference in your family or your child’s life, please condense it and share on the Save the Adoption Credit Facebook page.
P.S. Although not specific to the Adoption Tax Credit, I would also encourage you to join the Creating a Family Facebook Support Group. It is a friendly, supportive, and very active group and a safe place to ask questions, vent, or simply chat.
Image credit: agrilifetoday
Thanks for posting this, Dawn Davenport! I just ‘liked’ the group and am passing the information on!
Thanks for posting this, Dawn Davenport! I just ‘liked’ the group and am passing the information on!
Thanks for posting this, Dawn Davenport! I just ‘liked’ the group and am passing the information on!
Dawn said:
Zuzu, you raise a good point, and one we’ve wrestled with here at Creating a Family. The problem is that the volume necessary to support a robust discussion based forum has grown exponentially since Facebook has become the dominant player. In other words, it simply doesn’t make sense to try to recreate the wheel on an individual site. I’m guessing that Twitter is out for you too. If not, we share lots on info via Twitter, altho the discussions aren’t so robust given the 140 character limit. The one thing you can do, however, is sign up for our weekly newsletter (top left of this page). We share the week’s radio show and blog topic, as well as some of the new resources we’ve added to the site.
[[Creating a Family blog] at 2:20 am on May 2, 2012]
Zuzu said:
Hi, I find this web site and blog very helpful though I am disappointed that people are being asked to join facebook in order to participate in the discussions. Esp. the one about adoption of a toddler from foster care, a topic in which I am very interested. I will not join facebook, I follow several national newspapers and based on what I have read, have decided that I do not like facebook’s policies. I wish you would consider posting on the web site for those of us who aren’t interested in facebook.
thanks.
[[Creating a Family blog] at 1:53 am on May 2, 2012]
Thanks Lindsey.
Thanks Lindsey.
Thanks Lindsey.
Hi, I find this web site and blog very helpful though I am disappointed that people are being asked to join facebook in order to participate in the discussions. Esp. the one about adoption of a toddler from foster care, a topic in which I am very interested. I will not join facebook, I follow several national newspapers and based on what I have read, have decided that I do not like facebook’s policies. I wish you would consider posting on the web site for those of us who aren’t interested in facebook.
thanks.
Zuzu, you raise a good point, and one we’ve wrestled with here at Creating a Family. The problem is that the volume necessary to support a robust discussion based forum has grown exponentially since Facebook has become the dominant player. In other words, it simply doesn’t make sense to try to recreate the wheel on an individual site. I’m guessing that Twitter is out for you too. If not, we share lots on info via Twitter, altho the discussions aren’t so robust given the 140 character limit. The one thing you can do, however, is sign up for our weekly newsletter (top left of this page). We share the week’s radio show and blog topic, as well as some of the new resources we’ve added to the site.