Adoption is an arduous and expensive process and definitely not a road to be embarked upon by the faint-hearted.  It is a sacrificial journey that doesn’t end the day the child comes home.  Adoptive families often have to forego some of the materialistic pleasures of life in order to gather the financial resources needed to complete their adoptions.  Adoption also demands a significant commitment of time in terms of paperwork and travel.  Yet, there is something about giving a child a home and a future that causes people to make a commitment to go down that road no matter what the cost. 

The cost of an adoptiion ranges from $10,000 to $30,000.  Most families are able to take advantage of the $10,000 adoption tax credit in the tax year following when their adoption is finalized.  The difficulty can be, however, in coming up with the funds to pay for their adoption expenses as the family goes through the process leading up to that finalization.  Our Adoption Assistance Fund provides interest-free loans to families to help them front the cost of their adoption.  As families receive the benefit of the tax credit, the loans are paid back and the money can then be given to help other families.  In this regard, our Adoption Assistance Fund becomes a self-replenishing fund.  Some families, however, do not pay enough income tax to benefit from the tax credit.  For those families, grants are a more appropriate form of assistance.  Through our Adoption Assistance Fund, we have been able, since its inception, to provide financial assistance to fifteen families.  Our goal is to continue to build up the fund in order to be able to unite more families and children through adoption.  We are seeking contributions from private individuals, corporation and foundations that support the idea that all children deserve a home and a loving family. 

 Some people have a God-given desire in their heart to adopt a child but do not have the financial resources to do so.  Others may not have the desire or feel called to adopt but have the financial means by which to help facilitate an adoption for another family.  Our Adoption Assistance Fund provides a mechanism to match up the funds with the families.  

Families who are considering adoption can find help with their adoption costs through the Adoption Tax Credit.  The Hope for Children Act, permanent tax credit legislation offered to adopting parents to help offset the expense of adoption, passed the House and Senate and was signed into law by President Bush on June 7, 2001.  The permanent law replaced a temporary provision which allowed a $5,000 tax credit for families earning $75,000 a year, or less.  The permanent legislation raised the tax credit to $10,000 per child for qualified expenses and provides a flat $10,000 tax credit for each special needs child without regard to expenses.  The tax credit has been adjusted annually for inflation beginning in 2002 and the current tax credit is $10,960.  The permanent law also raised the annual income limitation from $75,000 to $150,000.

A Child Waits Foundation

(413) 499-3992

www.achildwaits.org

A non-profit, charitable foundation that makes low cost loans to families adopting internationally who have exhausted all other resources and who would not be able to continue with an adoption without the foundation’s help.