Post Adoption Resource Center Newsletter
January
2013
Volume 1 Issue 3
Adoption Tax Credit Is Made Permanent
from the North American Council on Adoptable Children
The legislation to avoid the fiscal cliff (the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012,
signed into law on January 2) included a provision that made the adoption tax credit
permanent. Unfortunately it did not make the adoption credit refundable, so it will only
benefit those adoptive families who have federal income tax liability.
For 2013, we believe the maximum adoption credit and exclusion will be slightly higher
than the 2012 maximum of $12,650. The credit will begin to phase out for families with
modified adjusted gross incomes above a certain level (around $190,000) and the
credit will go away completely for those with incomes around $230,000. (Exact numbers for the maximum credit and income guidelines have yet to be released.)
For 2013 and beyond, the credit will remain flat for special needs adoptions, meaning
that those who adopt children from the U.S. who receive adoption assistance/adoption
subsidy benefits can claim the maximum credit regardless of their expenses. For other
adoptions (except for step-parent adoptions), parents can claim the credit based on
their qualified adoption expenses.
NACAC is deeply disappointed Congress did not make the adoption tax credit refundable for 2012 or future years, and will continue to advocate for refundability in the future. We will keep you posted on these advocacy efforts.
Even though the credit isn't refundable for 2012, we encourage those who adopted in 2012 to submit a Form 8839 with their 2012 taxes even if they do not have
tax liability. Although they will not receive an adoption credit refund with their 2012
taxes, the credit can be carried forward up to five additional years. Families might benefit later if either their tax situation changes or the credit is made refundable in the future, and then wouldn't have to amend their 2012 taxes.
Phone: 651-644-3036
www.nacac.org
Page 1 Adoption Tax Credit Western Site
Page 2 Adoptive Parent Input Eastern Site
Page 3 Cycle Challenge North Central Site
Page 4 Support Groups South Central Site
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Eastern Site
ADOPTIVE PARENTS’ INPUT GUIDE PARC ACTIVITIES in the EUP
Adoptive parents in Chippewa, Luce, and Mackinac counties have participated in trainings, support
groups, and fun activities over the years. UP KIDS is listening to what the parents have identified
as helpful and ensuring that those events continue and become even more useful, more inviting,
and more enjoyable. There will also be more training, more support groups, and more fun activities
scheduled in more areas of the EUP!
Trainings thus far have focused on practical ways that parents can help their children move forward
from their traumatic pasts and that the parents can find the support they need. Additional training
on trauma is likely. Parents have also suggested training on caring for drug-addicted babies, addicted youth, and children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome; those trainings are planned for later this
year. Other suggestions that may yet be provided this year are dealing with different developmental
stages, blended families, sibling rivalry, and grief/loss.
Regular support groups are set for the first Thursday of every month in Sault Sainte Marie and the
third Thursday of every other month in Newberry. In the Sault the parents have chosen to have a
potluck dinner for everyone, and then the parents meet to talk while the youth enjoy activities with
volunteer college students. Mentor/mentee relationships are developing between the youth and the
young adults, and parents are viewing this as a positive experience for the youth and an opportunity
for some respite for themselves.
Summer picnics and Christmas parties for foster, adoptive, and kinship parents have been held in
Sault, Michigan by the parents’ own organization (most recently called Helping Hands Helping Children) for years. UP KIDS – with the encouragement of some families – are planning additional fun
events in 2013. Tentative plans are underway for a family dance yet this winter, farm visits and
sport-type activities later in the year, and even service projects to give youth the example and opportunity of helping others.
To share your suggestions and ideas and to receive info on upcoming events in the EUP such as
resource parents’ training, support groups , and free family fun events, call (906 281-3276) or email
([email protected] ) Geraldine Stelmaszek to get on the confidential email group or the regular U.
S. mail group.
If you and/or your family would like to meet individually with Gerry to address the issues and/or
needs of your family, please call to schedule that meeting at your home, at the office, or at another
site. Most times that meeting can be arranged by the next day.
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North Central Site
START THE CYCLE CHALLENGE PROGRAM
A very excited 12 year old young man can’t wait for summer because he recently began participating in the “Start the Cycle,” challenge program. Over the next seven months “Caleb” will train with a
mentor, learning how to skillfully ride a mountain bike and then test his new skills in a 10 mile
mountain bike race. Caleb is one of fifteen youth in the Marquette and surrounding area that are
taking advantage of a great opportunity to challenge themselves in a positive way while building a
trusting relationship with a mentor. These fifteen teens along with their mentors, will learn about the
rigorous sport of mountain biking and hopefully an awareness of the success that you can achieve
from hard work. The mentors will provide, along with the technical assistance, encouragement and
support to enable the participating youth to develop the skills needed to participate in a demanding
sport such as mountain biking. The idea is that each rider will take away skills that they can apply
to successfully complete challenges of any kind in the future.
If someone is interested in participating and that person does not have a solid mountain bike, he or
she will receive one through the generosity of community members and organizations. Upon successfully completing the training and the mountain bike race each participant will earn the right to
keep the mountain bike they have trained on. The group will begin by having discussions about
teamwork and the value of achievement through effort, as well as the need for boundaries, and establishing goals and planning to achieve these goals. As the weather warms up the meeting will
focus on mountain bike riding and all the important technical skills needed to ride safely.
The program starts in January 2013 and will meet on a weekly basis until August and will end with
the Ore to Shore Mountain Bike Epic. The Ore to shore is Michigan’s largest mass start, point to
point race and has variety of events over the course of the entire weekend. You can check out the
Ore to Shore events at oretoshore.com. As of now the
program is full but the organizers of the program have a
waiting list. For more information on this program please
email [email protected] or call Terri at 906-281-3420.
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South Central Site
SUPPORT GROUPS FOR ALL
The South Central UP has a busy plan for the year 2013. Many times within our families, for many
reasons, we are too busy to focus on each other. U.P. Kids will be offering several opportunities’ for
families to reconnect, decompress and enjoy each other.
We will be offering Family night from 5-8pm (the 3rd Saturday of each month): This is a night that
happens 1 time a month, this night offers families a chance to get out together at no cost. During
family night we will have an evening snack, a movie and games. This evening will be fun for all
families. Families can come together and join others, learning to communicate with each other, play
and enjoy the company of your family.
We will be offering parents (couples) date night from 8-12pm (the last Friday of each month): This
is a night for parents to escape from the chaos of everyday life. A place where parents can enjoy
each other, meet new friends and relax. Light snacks will be available and
videos will be played. If you are a parent, you need a safe, affordable and
beneficial place to go and a place
where you and your mate can refresh
and encourage each other and others,
this could be it.
We will be offering a guardians group
12-2pm (the 3rd Monday of each
month). This is a support/
encouragement group for guardians,
foster parents, adoptive parents equally. This group will address many issues parents have, and the issues that we face while raising children that we did not birth. Sometimes we do not know where these children have been, what they have been through or how we
can help. Coming together as a group we will address these topics and more. These groups meet
once a month for 2 hours. It is not a long time nor is it frequent, but there is support to be had and
encouragement to be given. You are raising children that are not biologically yours, and you could
use a listening ear or support, this is for you.
If you are interested in any of these groups or activities, please call Nisha at 1-906-281-3440 for
more information or to register.
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