Equal trade?

Question

As most know there is a $10,630 tax credit for reinbersment of adoption expenses right? And that anyone who can use, it will, right? I did.

Why not make adoption services, a SOCIAL SERVICE like foster to adopt? Realy could it cost "system" more than

$10,630 per child? 'Cause that's what's its costing now in the form of a tax credit. Imagine the resources that kind of money can provide.

what do you think?

Answer 1

I would rather my tax money go to private citizens doing the right thing, than I had going to any government agency.  Think about it....how much of your money have you and your spouse paid in taxes over the years?  Congrats you just got some of it back.

Answer 2

People who adopt through foster care also get that tax credit, and it's basically free to adopt through the state (unless you choose to work through an agency, like we did).  So, my thinking is that if all adoption were taken care of through DHS, that would burden the system FAR more than it is already weighed down, with children who need to be placed in other homes for safety reasons; and DHS wouldn't be getting anything back because the same tax credit would still be going to the families.  We'd have to come up with the money, from somewhere, to pay a lot more DHS workers to do a job that isn't "necessary" (i.e. work on cases in which the mother is voluntarily giving her child up for adoption).

Now, I don't know a whole lot about private infant adoption and all the corruption I'm hearing about, since I'm going through the foster care system myself, so I could be WAY off base here.  This is my understanding of the system, and I'm totally open to more info if I've got it wrong.

Answer 3

The states currently do receive an "incentive" for all foster placements that they turn into a permanent adoption.  This is why (we found out later) our son's state caseworker tried to stop the private adoption and called our son a "hot commodity" because he was a caucasian infant.  

I worry about providing the system any more "incentives" for finding permanent homes for children.

Answer 4

i believe in adopting is one of many ways to get children into a safe home. but paying $10 630 for a child is sooooo much. why not use that money for teh child's education expences or a somthing that can be useful for teh child. nywaiz that my opinion.

Answer 5

I totally agree with you!

Wasn't the tax credit intended to be an incentive for people to adopt from foster care, thus reducing the numbers languishing in foster care

I believe that was it's original purpose - not to offset outrageous private adoption fees.  Something went horribly wrong somewhere.   The agencies are winning and the children in foster care are losing

ETA  I agree with BPD on the fact that incentives for placements from foster care stink.  The UK has the same problem.  'hot commodity' blech