Below are some details that I received from the IRS relating to the adoption tax credit. Documents substantiating the adoption or attempted adoption are required to be attached to the taxpayer’s return. Acceptable documents are identified in the September 2010 guidance and in IRS publications. In addition, the IRS may ask for proof of expenses [...]

The  China Centre for Children’s Welfare and Adoption released some new homestudy and post-placements requirements. These new guidelines and regulations for the homestudy go into effect as of October 1, 2011; and those regarding post placement visits and reports apply to families who receive Notice of Coming to China for Adoption after August 1, 2011. [...]

On November 30, 2010, President Obama signed the International Adoption Simplification Act.  This Act provides the same waiver for  required vaccination documentation for Hague Convention adoptions as is available for non-Hague adoptions.  Effective immediately, I-800 families can follow the same procedure as used by I-600 families to apply for a vaccination waiver by completing a [...]

On November 15, 2010, Congress joined together across party lines to pass S.1376, the International Adoption Simplification Act, which will allow parents to internationally adopt older children (ages 16 and 17) when adopting a younger sibling.

A response from Nightlight’s Executive Director, Ron Stoddart: When a child is legally adopted in the United States, that child bears the same relationship to their adoptive parent(s) as a biological child would to their parents.  The adopting parents accept all of the rights and obligations of the parent-child relationship.  When a child is legally [...]

If you are considering adopting a child this year, you’ll be happy to hear the latest update on the adoption tax credit. The adoption tax credit has been extended for one more year, has increased, and you may even qualify for a refund! The new tax credit provides not only a credit but a refund [...]

Carolina Hope is offering a live online course this Tuesday (Mar. 10) about Domesticating an International Adoption in South Carolina. Participation requires a phone and an internet connection. Please pay and register before Thursday if you would like to participate. More information on the course contents and on registering is available at the course page.

Cindy over at Our Adoption Journey has written about the Federal Adoption Tax Credit, which will expire in December 2010. I encourage you read her post and then contact your legislators asking them to support legislation that will extend the tax credit beyond 2010. (At present, H.R. 213 is about one sentence long: it simply [...]

Laura Godwin responds to “The Orphan Manufacturing Chain”, by E.J. Graff. Graff’s article makes untrue claims in an attempt to undermine International Adoption.

On October 7, I posted a call to action from JCICS. JCICS’s advocacy — in conjunction with the advocacy of other stakeholders and concerned Americans — has resulted in at least limited success. Here is JCICS’s announcement. Dear Colleagues, After advocating on behalf of adoptive families for the past 6 months, Joint Council is very [...]

JCICS is urging all adoption stakeholders to actively participate immediately in encouraging USCIS to implement a policy that’s good for families and children regarding I-600A Renewals.

Joint Council and others in our field have great concern regarding the one-time renewal of I-600A approvals and the impact on Potential Adoptive Parents (PAPs). It is very clear that the authors of the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 intended to ‘grandfather’ all I-600A petitions filed prior to the date on which the Hague Convention went into force in the United States (April 1, 2007). At the time the legislation was drafted, the authors did not foresee the lengthy processing time now associated with adoptions from countries such as China and Haiti.

Sign up today (May 20) for Carolina Hope’s online education course, Domesticating Your Child’s International Adoption in South Carolina. The course will provide all the information you need to domesticate your child’s international adoption under South Carolina law.

[Update: 5/14: The date for this webinar has been changed to 5/22. Please register at least 3 days in advance.] Are you a South Carolina family that has grown through international adoption, but you don’t feel that you can afford a South Carolina readoption at this time? Well, there’s an alternative in our state, something [...]

Carolina Hope has achieved 1-year temporary Hague accreditation through the Council on Accreditation. This status permits Carolina Hope to conduct adoptions from all Hague countries and to do Hague-approved South Carolina adoption homestudies.