The IRS has released information regarding the amount of the adoption tax credit for 2018 and the Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) amounts for the phase out yesterday. Assuming the Adoption Tax Credit survives the tax cuts, the maximum credit for 2018 will be $13,840 per child.  The credit will begin to phase out for… Read More

Last month, three U.S. senators introduced the Vulnerable Children and Families Act, a bill which aims to help children around the world who are living in institutions or without permanent homes receive more assistance from U.S. international delegates. Specifically, the bill aims to ensure that international child welfare is a central part of U.S. foreign… Read More

For many adoptive families, the federal adoption tax credit is an extremely helpful resource to make adoption affordable and provide stable, loving homes for waiting children. By providing a maximum of $13,460 per child, the tax credit helps offset the legal fees involved in the adoption process. Now the credit is in danger. In the… Read More

On Jan. 31, without any prior notice, the Independent Adoption Center notified all families waiting with them that they were filing bankrupt. The national adoption agency was licensed in eight states and had been placing babies for 34 years. Read More

By taking advantage of the federal adoption tax credit, US Military benefits and employer advantages, thousands of American families are eligible and receive financial benefits each year for the cost associated with an adoption. Here’s a quick breakdown of those three methods: Federal Adoption Tax Credit The federal adoption tax credit (FATC) allows a monetary… Read More

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Committee on Ethics has released an opinion “to provide an overview of gestational surrogacy and to describe the ethical responsibilities for obstetrician–gynecologists who take part in the care of women who participate in these arrangements.” Gestational surrogacy is an increasingly common form of family building. However, as the… Read More

Guest post from David Festin In my third year of law school, I had a great opportunity to take a class on judicial administration, focusing my semester-long research paper on alternative dispute resolution, and specifically, court-ordered child custody mediation in North Carolina. What I found in my research was a promising outlook on the effectiveness and… Read More

A good lawyer is a necessary part of a successful adoption. Some people like to price shop. But, price is not a good measure of the value of professional services. I know that some people will choose a real estate closing attorney based solely on a $50 difference in price. That is unfortunate. I hope… Read More

Guest post from David Festin I’ve been working in the family law practice area for the better part of a decade now as a paralegal and law clerk. In that time I’ve worked with many clients going through the hardships of divorce and one of the most significant sources of frustration has been their legal fees.… Read More

The military is the pointy end of the spear defending our country. Now, it appears that the military will be on the cutting edge of reproductive technology and family building as well. In an effort to promote retention among midlevel service members and to allow the Department of Defense to compete effectively with top level… Read More