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Adoption Article Directory

The Federal Adoption Tax Credit Assists Families With The Cost of Adoption

Mark E. Goldman, Esq.
AdoptHelp Law Center

As an adoption attorney, I often am asked whether there are programs that assist families with the cost of adopting a baby. This question is one of my favorites because unlike other ways of building your family, adoption is substantially subsidized by the federal government. That is, the federal government offers adoptive parents a tax credit for adoption expenses (up to $11,650 in 2008) for each child they attempt to adopt. The amazing thing about this subsidy is that it is not a deduction that reduces your income for purposes of determining your tax liability.

No Regrets OR Always and Forever

Penny Joss Fletcher

Someone recently asked me how difficult the process was for my husband and I to decide
to adopt, rather than continue on with more treatment. Did I regret not having a biological
child? The answer is that the whole journey was difficult but when the time was right, the
decision wasn’t that hard. My feelings haven’t changed from 13 years ago when we first
brought our son home.

Adopting a Child with Special Needs

Robyn Harrod, LCSW
Southern California Foster Family and Adoption Agency

Several years ago, if you had asked Steven if he would have considered adopting a child with special needs, his answer would have been a definite no. "I would have said ‘Forget it," he recalls. Now, as parent of a teenager with special needs, Steven’s thoughts have definitely changed.

Adoption Through the Foster Care System

Robyn Harrod, LCSW
Southern California Foster Family and Adoption Agency

Currently there are approximately 32,000 children under the jurisdiction of the Department of Children and Family Services in Los Angeles County, about 15,000 of them in out-of-home care. The children are of all ages and ethnicities. Many of them will not be reunified with their birth family and need loving, permanent homes. 

Adoption thought the foster care system, which was once a difficult procedure, has changed dramatically over the years.