Tax credits-huh?

If you adopt a special needs child from the state and do not pay anything (no qualifying expenses) you can still get the tax credit. So let's say you adopt an older child or a child with disabilities and they recieve a stipend after adoption, you can still get the tax credit even though you didn't pay for the adoption. I think you have up to five years to recieve the 10,000 credit. So if you pay 5 thousand into taxes this year, you will get it back. Then next year you will get the rest. I think that is how it works. :)

That is too incredible! Thank you so much for the translation,

What is the definition of special needs? the DSS definition? or does the IRS have one?

If your child recieves a stipend from the state after adoption than you should qualify. Sometimes special need can be physically or emotionally impared. A child from a minority group is also considered special needs in some states.

It is your state's definition of special needs. Which in NJ both of my sons are considered special needs because they both still receive a subsidy after adoption. One is just because of age & minority status, the other because of health issues as well as age & minority status. This past tax year we had the credit, which was very nice and helped us to buy a house (yes, not a whole house, but a downpayment). Trust me the boys are love having a house. I think the government uses the tax credit as an incentive for people to adopt. But as a mom of a special needs child it doesn't really seem like an incentive, just a band-aid. (Long story with Raj's SNs increasing).

The way I understood it, the tax credit is applied to any tax liability(what you owe). So, if you are used to getting a refund check every year, then you won't be able to use the tax credit. We never have to pay anything at tax time and usually get a refund check. We itemize and deduct medical expenses and charitable contributions. Correct me if I am wrong. I would love to be able to use the adoption tax credit when the time comes.

I think the IRS wants it confusing! LOLThe IRS version of Special Needs is near the bottom of the page. Table of Contents[list][*][url="http://www.irs.gov/publications/p968/ar01.html#d0e19"] style=" color:rgb(96,100,32);"What's New[/url][*][url="http://www.irs.gov/publications/p968/ar01.html#d0e27"] style=" color:rgb(96,100,32);"Introduction[/url][list][*][url="http://www.irs.gov/publications/p968/ar01.html#d0e68"] style=" color:rgb(96,100,32);"Tax questions.[/url][*][url="http://www.irs.gov/publications/p968/ar01.html#d0e76"] style=" color:rgb(96,100,32);"Ordering forms and publications.[/url][/list][*][url="http://www.irs.gov/publications/p968/ar01.html#d0e89"] style=" color:rgb(96,100,32);"For Adoptive Parents[/url][list][*][url="http://www.irs.gov/publications/p968/ar01.html#d0e104"] style=" color:rgb(96,100,32);"Qualifying Expenses[/url][*][url="http://www.irs.gov/publications/p968/ar01.html#d0e147"] style=" color:rgb(96,100,32);"Limits on the Credit or Exclusion[/url][*][url="http://www.irs.gov/publications/p968/ar01.html#d0e287"] style=" color:rgb(96,100,32);"When To Take the Credit or Exclusion[/url][*][url="http://www.irs.gov/publications/p968/ar01.html#d0e460"] style=" color:rgb(96,100,32);"How To Take the Credit or Exclusion[/url][*][url="http://www.irs.gov/publications/p968/ar01.html#d0e511"] style=" color:rgb(96,100,32);"Special Rule for Adopting a Child With Special Needs[/url][/list][/list]What's New Dollar limit increased. For 2004, the maximum credit increases to $10,390. Also, the maximum exclusion from income of benefits under your employer's adoption assistance program increases to $10,390. Introduction This publication explains two tax benefits available to offset the expenses of adopting a child. The benefits are the adoption credit and the exclusion from income of benefits under your employer's adoption assistance program. The first part of the publication is for persons who have recently adopted a child, are in the process of adopting a child, or are considering adopting a child. The second part is for employers who provide adoption assistance payments to workers. Comments and suggestions.[url=""][/url][url=""][/url] We welcome your comments about this publication and your suggestions for future editions. You can write to us at the following address: Internal Revenue Service Individual Forms and Publications Branch SE:W:CAR:MP:T:I 1111 Constitution Ave. NW, IR-6406 Washington, DC 20224 We respond to many letters by telephone. Therefore, it would be helpful if you would include your daytime phone number, including the area code, in your correspondence. You can email us at *taxforms@irs.gov. (The asterisk must be included in the address.) Please put Publications CommentӔ on the subject line. Although we cannot respond individually to each email, we do appreciate your feedback and will consider your comments as we revise our tax products. Tax questions. If you have a tax question, visit [url="http://www.irs.gov/app/scripts/exit.jsp?dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irs.gov"]www.irs.gov[/url] or call 1-800-829-1040. We cannot answer tax questions at either of the addresses listed above. Ordering forms and publications. Visit [url="http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/"]www.irs.gov/formspubs[/url] to download forms and publications, call 1-800-829-3676, or write to one of the three addresses shown under How To Get Tax Help in the back of this publication. For Adoptive Parents You may be able to take a tax credit of up to $10,390 for qualifying expenses paid to adopt an eligible child. The adoption credit is an amount that you subtract from your tax liability. Also, up to $10,390 paid or reimbursed by your employer for qualifying adoption expenses under an adoption assistance program may be excludable from your gross income. (However, you cannot exclude this adoption assistance if your employer is an S corporation in which you own more than 2% of the stock or stock with more than 2% of the voting power.) An adoption assistance program for this purpose is a separate written plan set up by an employer to provide adoption assistance to its employees. See Adoption assistance program under For Employers, later, for more information. You may claim both a credit and an exclusion for expenses of adopting an eligible child. For example, you may be able to claim a credit of up to $10,390 and also exclude up to $10,390 from your income. However, you cannot claim both a credit and an exclusion for the same expense. Qualifying ExpensesQualifying adoption expenses are reasonable and necessary adoption fees, court costs, attorney fees, traveling expenses (including amounts spent for meals and lodging) while away from home, and other expenses directly related to, and whose principal purpose is for, the legal adoption of an eligible child. Nonqualifying expenses. Qualifying adoption expenses do not include expenses: [list][*]That violate state or federal law,[*]For carrying out any surrogate parenting arrangement,[*]For the adoption of your spouse's child,[*]Paid using funds received from any federal, state, or local program,[*]Allowed as a credit or deduction under any other federal income tax rule, or[*]Paid or reimbursed by your employer or otherwise (except that amounts paid or reimbursed under an adoption assistance program may be qualifying expenses for the exclusion). [/list]Eligible child. An eligible child must be: [list=1][*]Under 18 years old, or[*]Physically or mentally incapable of caring for himself or herself.[/list]Limits on the Credit or ExclusionThe credit and the exclusion for qualifying adoption expenses are each subject to a dollar limit and an income limit. These limits apply separately. The credit is also subject to a limit based on your tax liability. Figure these limits on Form 8839, Qualified Adoption Expenses. How the exclusion limits affect your return. Because of the dollar limit and the income limit, all or part of your employer's adoption assistance payments may not qualify for the exclusion. On your tax return, you must include in your income any payments that do not qualify for the exclusion. All of the adoption assistance payments will be shown in box 12 of your Form W-2, identified with the letter T.Ӕ None of the payments will be included with your taxable wages in box 1 of your Form W-2. Therefore, if all of the payments qualify for the exclusion, you will not need to adjust the amount of wages and other income you report on your tax return. But if any of the payments do not qualify for the exclusion, you must include in your income the payments that do not qualify. See Form 8839 and its instructions. Your employer is not required to withhold income tax on payments for qualifying expenses under an adoption assistance program. If you must include any of the payments in your income, your withholding may not be enough to cover the tax on those payments. Therefore, you may need to give your employer a new Form W-4 to adjust your withholding, or make estimated tax payments, to avoid a penalty for underpayment of estimated tax. Dollar Limit The amount of your adoption credit or exclusion is limited to $10,390 for each effort to adopt an eligible child. For this purpose, an attempt that leads to the successful adoption of a child and any unsuccessful attempt to adopt a different child are treated as one effort. If you can take both a credit and an exclusion, the dollar limit applies separately to each. If you and another person (other than your spouse if filing jointly) adopt a child and both claim the credit or exclusion, the dollar limit applies to your combined credit or exclusion amounts. You must divide the $10,390 limit between the two of you. You may divide it in any way you both agree. The $10,390 amount is the maximum amount of qualifying expenses taken into account over all tax years. Therefore, it must be reduced by the amount of qualifying expenses taken into account in previous years for the same adoption effort. Example 1.In 2004, you adopt two brothers, Bobby and Sam. Your qualifying adoption expenses paid in 2004 are $7,500 for Bobby and $7,500 for Sam. When you figure the credit, you can take all the expenses into account for both adoptions because they do not exceed the dollar limit of $20,780 ($10,390 for each child). Example 2.You pay $3,000 of qualifying adoption expenses in an effort to adopt an eligible child in 2004. However, the adoption is not successful. Later in the year, you pay an additional $9,000 of qualifying adoption expenses for the successful adoption of a different eligible child. Under your employer's adoption assistance program, you are reimbursed for these expenses in 2004. For the dollar limit, you must treat the $12,000 as paid in one adoption effort. Your exclusion from income is limited to $10,390. You must include the remaining $1,610 in your income. Income Limit The income limit on the adoption credit or exclusion is based on modified adjusted gross income (modified AGI). For 2004, use the following table to see if the income limit will affect your credit or exclusion. IF your modified AGI is... THEN the income limit... $155,860 or less will not affect your credit or exclusion. $155,861 to $195,859 will reduce your credit or exclusion. $195,860 or more will eliminate your credit or exclusion. Example.In 2004, you adopt an eligible child. Your qualifying adoption expenses are $12,000 and your modified AGI is $175,860. After you apply the dollar limit ($10,390), you apply the income limit. You use Form 8839 to figure your credit. The income limit reduces your credit by 50%. Your adoption credit is $5,195. Modified AGI. Your modified AGI for purposes of the exclusion may be different from your modified AGI for purposes of the credit. To figure your modified AGI for the purpose of both the credit and the exclusion, add back the following items to your adjusted gross income (line 37 of Form 1040 or line 22 of Form 1040A). [list][*]The foreign earned income exclusion.[*]The foreign housing exclusion or deduction.[*]The exclusion for income earned by bona fide residents of American Samoa or Puerto Rico.[/list]To figure your modified AGI for purposes of the exclusion, also add back the student loan interest deduction and the tuition and fees deduction. Also, your modified AGI for purposes of the exclusion includes all benefits you received from your employer's adoption assistance program. Use the worksheet in the Form 8839 instructions to figure your modified AGI for purposes of the exclusion. Tax Liability Limit The amount of your allowable adoption credit for a year cannot be more than the total of your regular tax (after reduction by any foreign tax credit) and alternative minimum tax (AMT) for that year, minus the following amounts. [list=1][*]Credit for child and dependent care expenses.[*]Credit for the elderly or the disabled.[*]Education credits.[*]Retirement savings contributions credit.[*]Child tax credit.[*]Mortgage interest credit.[/list]If your credit is more than this limit, you can carry forward the unused credit to your next 5 tax years, or until used, whichever comes first. Use the worksheet in the Form 8839 instructions to figure your credit carryforward. The income limit, discussed earlier, does not apply to a credit carried forward. When To Take the Credit or ExclusionWhen you can take the adoption credit or exclusion depends on whether the eligible child is a citizen or resident of the United States (including U.S. possessions) at the time the adoption effort begins. Child who is a U.S. citizen or resident. If the eligible child is a U.S. citizen or resident, you can take the adoption credit or exclusion even if the adoption never becomes final. Take the credit or exclusion as shown in the following tables. IF you pay qualifying expenses in... THEN take the credit in... any year before the year the adoption becomes final the year after the year of the payment. the year the adoption becomes final the year the adoption becomes final. any year after the year the adoption becomes final the year of the payment. IF your employer pays for qualifying expenses under an adoption assistance program in... THEN take the exclusion in... any year the year of the payment. Foreign child. If the eligible child is not a U.S. citizen or resident, you cannot take the adoption credit or exclusion unless the adoption becomes final. Take the credit or exclusion as shown in the following tables. IF you pay qualifying expenses in... THEN take the credit in... any year before the year the adoption becomes final the year the adoption becomes final. the year the adoption becomes final the year the adoption becomes final. any year after the year the adoption becomes final the year of the payment. Note. For the credit, the amount of expenses paid or incurred before 2002 that can be taken into account is limited to the pre-2002 dollar limits. The limit on these expenses is $5,000 ($6,000 in the case of a child with special needs). IF your employer pays for qualifying expenses under an adoption assistance program in... THEN take the exclusion in... any year before the year the adoption becomes final the year the adoption becomes final. the year the adoption becomes final the year the adoption becomes final. any year after the year the adoption becomes final the year of the payment. If your employer makes adoption assistance payments in a year before the adoption of a foreign child is final, you must include the payments in your income in the year of payment. Then, on your return for the year the adoption becomes final, you can make an adjustment to take the exclusion. See Form 8839 and its instructions. Your employer is not required to withhold income tax on payments for qualifying expenses under an adoption assistance program. If you must include the payments in income in the year paid because your adoption of a foreign child is not final, your withholding may not be enough to cover the tax on those payments. You may need to give your employer a new Form W-4 to adjust your withholding, or make estimated tax payments, to avoid a penalty for underpayment of estimated tax. When adoption is final. When the adoption becomes final depends on the type of immediate relative (IR) visa under which the child enters the United States. [list][*]IR-3 visa. The adoption of a child who enters the United States on an IR-3 visa is treated as final in the year the competent authority enters a decree of adoption. The competent authority is the court or other governmental agency of the foreign country that has jurisdiction and authority to make decisions in matters of child welfare, including adoption. [*]Other IR visas. The adoption of a child who enters the United States on an IR visa other than an IR-3 visa is treated as final in the year in which a court of the state in which the child and parents reside enters a decree of adoption, re-adoption, or otherwise recognizes the adoption decree of the foreign country. [/list]How To Take the Credit or ExclusionYou must file Form 8839 with either Form 1040 or Form 1040A to take the credit or exclusion. You should maintain records to support any adoption credit or exclusion claimed. Married persons. If you are married, you must file a joint return to take the adoption credit or exclusion. However, you are not considered married if you are legally separated under a decree of divorce or separate maintenance. In that case, you can take the credit or exclusion on a separate return. Married and living apart. You can also take the credit or exclusion on a separate return if all of the following statements are true. [list=1][*]You lived apart from your spouse for the last 6 months of the tax year.[*]Your home is the eligible child's home for more than half the year.[*]You pay more than half the cost of keeping up your home for [/list]Special Rule for Adopting a Child With Special NeedsThe maximum credit and exclusion, subject to the income and tax liability limits discussed earlier, will be allowed for the adoption of a child with special needs even if you do not have any qualifying expenses. For 2004, the maximum amount for each is $10,390. Child with special needs. An eligible child is a child with special needs if he or she is a citizen or resident of the United States (including U.S. possessions) and a state (including the District of Columbia) determines that the child cannot or should not be returned to his or her parents' home and probably will not be adopted unless adoption assistance is provided to the adoptive parents. Factors used by states to determine if a child has special needs could include: [list][*]The child's ethnic background,[*]The child's age,[*]Whether the child is a member of a minority or sibling group, or[*]Whether the child has a medical condition or physical, mental, or emotional handicap.[/list]If your state has determined that the child you are adopting is a child with special needs, you should keep evidence of that fact for your records.

Essentially you get back what you pay in taxes, up to approx 10,000 dollars. So lets say monthly you pay 1,000 dollars in federal taxes ($12,000 a year then). You would get a refund of the maximum $10,000. The unused amount gets rolled over and can be used the next tax year. Last year we adopted 2 children and were elligable for a credit of just over $20,000. We didn't use the whole amount as we didn't pay 20,000 in federal taxes so the excess was rolled over to the next tax year. The tax credit is helpful, unless you always get a total refund of the taxes you paid in. Which if you do please tell me how, LOL? -LeenaB

You can still get the tax refund if you have a refund check given back to you. You get a refund check when you have paid overpaid your taxes. For example:I claim zero on my taxes. So they end up taking more out and I get a refund check instead of having to pay in. So let's say I owed five thousand in taxes, but because I claimed zero, they took out seven thousand. I would get a refund check of two thousand AND the adoption tax credit of five thousand. Then next year I would still be able to claim five thousand of the adoption tax credit. So EVEN if you get refund checks each year, you have still paid some money in taxes, and will be able to get that back with the adoption tax credit.

I have a question, would it be o.k. to make your withholdings as minimal as possible, making it so you bring home more $$ each paycheck, but owe more at the end of the year? That way the $10K tax credit could go towards what you owe?

On the special needs definition. I have not seen this in writing, but our SW (in CA) told me that "all our children are special needs"...meaning all kids being adopted from foster care. This was in a discussion of whether M would qualify as special needs for the tax credit.

[url="http://www.nacac.org/subsidy_stateprofiles.html"]North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) State Adoption Subsidy Profiles[/url] This website is an excellent resource for questions exactly like those discussed here. I know many of us have difficulty in getting a "straight" answer from our own CW's. Everything involving money is a big "secret". Since we are speaking of the IRS... [url="http://www.nacac.org/subsidyfactsheets/taxes.html"]IRS Interprets Adoption Subsidy Payments [/url][url="http://www.nacac.org/taxcredit.html"]NACAC-Action Needed Now to Improve the Adoption Tax Credit[/url] [url="http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc607.html"]IRS Adoption Credit[/url] [url="http://www.irs.gov/publications/p968/index.html"]IRS Publication 968 (2004), Tax Benefits for Adoption[/url] Each state defines Special Needs Children in their own terms, it is very interesting to see how they contrast. Below are two examples: [url="http://www.nacac.org/stateprofiles/california.html"]California State Profile[/url]California's legal definition of special needs is as follows:The child has at least one of the following characteristics that are barriers to his or her adoption without subsidy: a. Adoptive placement without financial assistance is unlikely because of membership in a sibling group that should remain intact, or by virtue of race, ethnicity, color, language, age of 3 years or older, or parental background of a medical or behavioral nature that can be determined to adversely affect the development of the child; and/or b. Adoptive placement without financial assistance is unlikely because the child has a mental, physical, emotional, or medical disability that has been certified by a licensed professional competent to make an assessment and operating within the scope of his or her profession. [url="http://www.nacac.org/stateprofiles/georgia.html"]Georgia State Profile[/url] Georgia's legal definition of special needs is as follows: A child who is considered special needs is: (a) any child 8 years of age or older; (b) any child of Black heritage, 1 year of age or older; (c) members of a sibling group of three or more; (d) members of a sibling group of 2 where one is over the age of 8 or has another special need; (e) any child with documented physical, emotional, or mental problems or limitations.