Adoption Tax Credit

I kept hearing on the yahoo adoption groups about the adoption tax credit being renewed and the amount increased. Below is an article from a Missouri Newspaper. It is very encouraging.
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There is good news in the new health care bill for adopting parents. H.R. 3590 includes a provision to extend the adoption tax credit until December 2011 (see pages 904-906). The tax credit has also been increased from $12,170 to $13,170 for adoptions occurring after January 2010. The health care bill also allows the tax credit to be refundable.What this new tax law means for prospective adopting parents. According to Lee Kutz, of Kutz Accounting in Joplin, this new tax law means that adoptive parents may apply up to $13,170 of their adoption expenses toward their taxes owed, thereby decreasing the amount owed overall by this amount. In the event that the couple owes less than the tax credit amount stated, they may receive some or all of the balance as a refund on their Federal taxes. Many groups and individuals have successfully lobbied to help extend this tax credit beyond its original expiration date of December 2010, and are still seeking to make the tax credit permanent.Since most international and private domestic adoptions cost upward of $10,000, this tax credit makes adoption much more affordable for families from many different income brackets. This, in turn, helps more children find permanent homes.

Spring Break!

My spring break officially starts Monday. No big plans here. I would like to do major cleaning throughout the house. I did the boys' closets and dressers this weekend. So that is a start. Why does the kitchen always look like a dumping ground?

Fingerprint Appointment!!

Well the Central Registry has not come back yet, but I did get a little letter from Homeland Security. Homeland Security! Why am I so excited?? We have our fingerprint appointment in Detroit the middle of April. Baby steps baby steps!! Please don't ask how much longer, I simply do not know. I am just happy to be progressing.

Central Registry

Here's to hoping that the central registry comes back this week. (March 23 is week 4 and March 30 is week 5) I was told it takes 4-5 weeks to come back. So I will keep my fingers crossed...

Acknowledgement

March 3 I frantically FedExed my homestudy update (still waiting on the central registry to be done--should be at the end of March) to Texas for immigration. Today I got a letter acknowledging that they got the info and to verify that my name and address were correct. Not big news to anyone but me.

I roughly did a timeline on how much longer and really it is just a guess. I hope to be able to travel in June or the latest July. It is all out of my hands. I think an updated picture of Mia would help ease the wait. (I don't have one, or I would share it.)

My fellas

I snapped this picture the other day of the boys playing. It is one of my favorites. Chandler (11), Carter (7), and Christian (4).

Birthday #7!

Carter turned 7 a couple of weeks ago. On his actual birthday we had cake, ice cream and his choice for dinner. This weekend we had the party with family and friends. A good time was had by all! :)