Adoption Updates

[budbeerlady]

How do you ever begin to pick an agency? OMG!! I have 9 that were referred from something else I have a lot of respect for but even from 9 how did you all narrow down who you would like to work with? I laid out the agency costs, and the country costs and for the most part the country costs were within a couple of $100's from each other but the agency fees are quite different. And a couple are saying $18,000 total from china )for example and two others say $30,000 total. What in the world!??!

 

[skoi]

Why we adopted- hard to say. We just felt we should. I wanted a big family, dh wasn't so sure. We have two bio children, and decided on one income that's all we could afford. But then we realized that even though we might not have a lot by Western standards, we have a lot more than most people and could financially afford more children. And why have more bio kids when there are so many kids waiting for a family? Even if you feel the impetus to "save" a child-- you're never supposed to say that, especially on adoption list serves because people get really mad about that.

Seriously, it's just something that felt right to us.

Now why we adopted internationally, and how we chose the country is a whole 'nother can of worms...

 

[skoi]

Brandie:
Hope you get your financial situation worked out. I was wonderning how you guys were doing.

Everyone:
I've been getting conflicting info on the tax credit-- hearing a lot of people on an adoption board saying they couldn't get all the $10,000 back- which we were counting on. Anyone else know about this for sure?

We had a great trip to China. Madalyn is adapting so well, we're looking into another adoption, this time in the place where my heart was- Kazakhstan.

Julie

 

[skoi]

Let us know when you travel. We're there and back again. Maybe it's because we had almost all of our paperwork done before we found our daughter. We had a good time in China, and Madalyn is great. She fits in with us amazingly well, and is so much like her older brother was at the same age it's amazing.

Keep us up to date!
Julie

 

[Sandy22]

Brandie, remember, there is a $10,000 tax credit per child adopted. That is a credit right to the bottom line of your income taxes. That means that if you are supposed to get $120 back, you now get $10,120 back.

I don't live in the US so I'm not 100% sure but from reading the discussions on my adoption yahoo group, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't get $10,120 back. For example, if you had to pay $3,500 in taxes, you would claim a portion of your adoption credit and pay nothing. Then you would have $6,500 left over to claim in future years. But like I said...I'm not 100% sure.

 

[wuv tigger]

We had her God Mother, her 3 bio boys, my best friend, her 2 adopted kids through the same agency, my 2nd dd who also was adopted.

We had a blast! She got the Word Whammer and a drawing book.

This day is very special to us as we weren't at either of their births. We had pizza, drinks & Lord of the Bean ~ Veggie Tale DVD.

Her daddy was on travel so we celebrated with him yesterday! We all picked her up from school. Her younger sister had a bouquet of flowers & daddy hid behind the balloon.

The other Mom's asked if it was her b'day. NO, my almost 4 yr old said. IT's HER GOTCHA DAY! She was also shocked that other people don't get to celebrate their Gotcha Day ~ a very special day!

We do celebrate their b'days too! It's just special to take time to look at their CM baby albums, tell of the drive to the agency, having to go potty 'cause of my nerves, her daddy holding her for the 1st time, etc!

BTW, both of our dd's are domestic adoptions.

We did get all of the $$ for the 2nd adoptions. It took us a couple of years to use all of the Adoption Credit up. We THANK GOD we had the credit!

Judy

 

[AnaheimGirl]

I don't live in the US so I'm not 100% sure but from reading the discussions on my adoption yahoo group, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't get $10,120 back. For example, if you had to pay $3,500 in taxes, you would claim a portion of your adoption credit and pay nothing. Then you would have $6,500 left over to claim in future years. But like I said...I'm not 100% sure.

Yes, that's right. You can't get back more than your total liability for the year. You'd only get the $10,120 if your total tax was more than $10,120. If less, you'd carry the excess over and take it against the next year's taxes. So, you do get it eventually, but it can take a while, which is not so helpful when you had to pay all the money out at once, the year before.

Another reason someone might not get the full credit, is if they are over the income phase-out level, which is around $160K. You'd get a partial credit if your income is between that and about $200K, and nothing if it's over $200K.

More info on the credit from the IRS website.

 

[RUDisney]

Yes, that's right. You can't get back more than your total liability for the year. You'd only get the $10,120 if your total tax was more than $10,120. If less, you'd carry the excess over and take it against the next year's taxes. So, you do get it eventually, but it can take a while, which is not so helpful when you had to pay all the money out at once, the year before.

Another reason someone might not get the full credit, is if they are over the income phase-out level, which is around $160K. You'd get a partial credit if your income is between that and about $200K, and nothing if it's over $200K.

More info on the credit from the IRS website.

We got our credit before the $10,000 per child credit was implemented. We got $5,000 tax credit for each child. The only caveat was that you had to be able to prove that you spent that much or more in the adoption process. We got a refund of somewhere between $11,000 and $13,000 that next year. There were income guidelines that were in effect, but they were not an issue with us getting the full refund. Gee, that really stinks if they make you take portions of the credit while you're paying interest on a loan that you took to finance the adoption.

Sorry for providing bad information. I thought it was still the same.

 

[happybratpack]

Let us know when you travel. We're there and back again. Maybe it's because we had almost all of our paperwork done before we found our daughter. We had a good time in China, and Madalyn is great. She fits in with us amazingly well, and is so much like her older brother was at the same age it's amazing.

Keep us up to date!
Julie

I'm so depressed w/ the way the timeline is going with China now. There are people who are on their 120th day from their LID waiting on TA. I just can't believe it. If this keeps up then I'm looking at Summer.

 

[skoi]

happybratpack

Wow, I'm so sorry to hear about the delay. What's your agency saying? We were surprised to get a TA when we did because we were only 60 days from LID when it came. We saw people on the waiting children China list who were close to a 100 days. I felt bad about saying we got the TA on the list.

We'll be praying for you and Lily. Non spec. needs are taking a lot longer now, too-- referrals (about 8-9 months) and TAs (6 or so weeks after referrals from our agency. We went with people who got referrals in the beginning of November, and didn't travel until mid-Jan.

Let us know when you hear something. I had this horrible fear that they send our dossier to the regular matching room, and asked the agency about it. I think they thought I was totally psycho.

Julie

 

[RUDisney]

I'm so sorry for your delay. We'll offer our dinner prayer for you and your family. We all want to see your beautiful daughter home with you!

 

[happybratpack]

Hi everyone

Thanks for the good thoughts...I am hoping things speed up in China. This wait is painful.

On a GREAT note - I had written the Director of Lily's orphanage last month asking how she was and if there was anything she needed, etc. She wrote me back last night with updated sizes! She's grown a little since last time but is still so small. She'll be 4 in July.

Foot length is 5 inches
Weight is 22 pounds
Height is 32 inches

I'm glad I went ahead and bought the smaller sized clothing. I was looking at the tags on the Gymboree stuff and it's looking like she's in the 18-24 mo clothes stage, way below on the weight though.

I replied back and she wrote but the translator I use is not translating it very clearly. I'm hoping to find someone today that can help me a bit more with it. If anyone can read Chinese here I'll be eternally grateful for help!! This is what the translator is giving me online which as you can see isn't clear: (I had asked if she rec'd her care packages and pictures and if there was anything they needed)

Hello!
Your Chinese really extremely good, Sun Ying hen good, she received you to send for hers gift is extremely happy, asks you to can rest assured that, also thanked you extremely regarding Sun Ying and my courtyard other children's cares, shows loving concern, believed you could very quickly see your female descendant England, also believed we could very quickly meet, welcome you the arrival!
Wishes you and your family member health is joyful!
Harbin child welfare home

Anyway - I've been up all night, between this killer earache and getting these emails I can't sleep at all.

Anyone else have any updates?

 

[scarlett873]

I'm just learning the basics of Chinese now...but there's no way I can read it...lol. Hope you find someone to help clarify it for you!!

Lily is sooooo tiny...18-24 months and she'll be 4 this year? wow! I'm sure she'll sprout quickly once she's home with her momma!!!

 

[happybratpack]

Thanks, Brandie...she is so small. It's hard to believe I'll have a 4 year old in barely 2t clothes.

I just noticed your weight loss, CONGRATS!!!! I should be doing that during this wait instead of sitting around on the computer!!


Anyway - I was able to get an actual translation of the last email...

********************
Your Chinese is very good. Sun Ying is doing very well. She is very happy to receive your gifts. We appreciate you so much because you are loving and taking care of Sun Ying very much as well as other children in our orphanage. We believe that you will pick up Sun Ying ASAP. We are eager to meet you here and welcome you to visit us!

Hope you and your family happiness and healthy!

Haerpin CWI
********************

 

[RUDisney]

Thanks, Brandie...she is so small. It's hard to believe I'll have a 4 year old in barely 2t clothes.

Just wait until you get her home with you! Ivan was at the low end for his height and weight when he first arrived here. Just a couple of weeks ago, I got a letter from the school saying that he was at high risk of being overweight when based on his height and weight. The thing is, he's solid muscle and if he keeps up with what he's been doing, will be one of the hotties in HS.

He caught up with others in his age group very quickly once he had access to, well, good food.

Many of the Asians I know are smaller builds anyway. I'm sure she will be the perfect size and shape once you start mothering her. I can't wait to hear what her favorite things are. My kids couldn't get enough bananas when they first arrived. They also always wanted borscht and cabbage soup. The borscht I could handle. I sent them to my Mom's for cabbage soup... too many horrible memories of having to eat that myself as a child. I really could think of anything to eat that is worse than my mother's cabbage soup. Another family adopted 4 children at the same time. Between their bio son and their new children, they were going through a bushel (yes, I said bushel) of apples each day from the beginning. I guess we crave what our bodies need, and theirs needed apples.

 

[scarlett873]

I just noticed your weight loss, CONGRATS!!!! I should be doing that during this wait instead of sitting around on the computer!!

Thanks! I'm trying my best...but it sure isn't easy!! I decided that I want to be healthy and be able to keep up with a toddler and to be able to climb the Great Wall without too much huffing and puffing...lol...we'll see about that one! My doctor tells me everytime I go in that I should lose weight. I just finally decided to do something about it...not to mention that my office is having a "biggest loser" type contest. I'm currently in 2nd place!

 

[monami7]

We are also adopting from china out LID is Nov. 9th. We are hoping to travel this summer. They are currently reviewing Dossiers up to July 31st. Waiting is stressful. Time does seem to be moving though. The hardest was in Februaryu when they did not do any referals.

 

[kdibattista]

Hi guys

I've been having a pretty rough couple of days. I wasn't quite ready to post this but I could really use the support. We have decided to change from Kazakhstan to China, which means that we cannot even submit our dossier until October and therefore, will not travel until next fall . I spoke with our agency and the goverment is becoming increasingly difficult to work with and they feel it is only going to get worse. Although the new "rules" do not affect me in particular, my agency feels that this is a sign of very difficult times to come. Please just say a prayer for any families in the middle of the process who may be affected by these new regulations and the children that it leaves behind... they are going to need them .

 

[monami7]

I am sorry that you have to change your plans. However I have a special place in my Hesrt for the little girls in China. i truely believe that got has a plan for our children and he already knows they our ours. Perhaps China was his plan for you all along. I am sure by now you have heard the red thread theory. I truely believe that this is true. I know in the end your child will be the perfect one for you.
Heidi

 

[monami7]

I am sorry that you have to change your plans. However I have a special place in my Heart for the little girls in China. i truely believe that got has a plan for our children and he already knows they our ours. Perhaps China was his plan for you all along. I am sure by now you have heard the red thread theory. I truely believe that this is true. I know in the end your child will be the perfect one for you.
Heidi