What about a VAWA type thing for adoption?

Question

This is spawned from a question about PAP's giving their 30K in baby-money to the first mother so that she can keep her children. I'm curious if we could do something like VAWA (Violence Against Women Act - which, in part, says that married couples pay more taxes, which gets used for domestic violence programs across the country) to help keep mom's and babies together? Maybe something like FPA (Family Preservation Act) - it's just a thought. My thinking is that, with this act, adoptive families would pay more in taxes to help programs that keep families together. That would also serve the purpose of being an educational tool (at least until people get used to it and stop asking questions).

My question is, how would this work? Would it even be possible? What would you think of something like this? I mean, it's no different than married couples paying for DV programs, or homeowners paying for schools.

Answer 1

How about taking that money from adoption workers and cap the salaries. Anything made above a certain amount including assets, would be taxed at a rate of 100%, so the money is going straight from the violators to the violated.

This money could also be used to fund programs and legal fees for people wanting to parent.

Thsn if you think about it, agencies would be inclined to follow the rule and ethics in adoption therefor reducung the number of claims and then reducing the "tax".

OH I know, how about taxing those who abuse their children and use that money to support the people who WANT to parents, but lack financial and legal support. I'm not being a smart a$$, I really thing this could work.

Kinda like those who get a DUI have to pay reinstatment fees to help fund anti-DUI programs.

Answer 2

We are a part of the "working poor" class. We make under $50,000/year for a family of 6.  It was very hard for us to get the money together for an adoption. Why should we have to pay extra for programs for others when we are just barely making it on our own just because we wanted to help a child?

However, you know how cigarette companies are forced to do "stop smoking" advertising (truth.org) and have websites full of information on how smoking is bad for you? Maybe adoption companies should be forced to spend a percentage on helping families stay together or at least educating woman on their right to change their mind and how they can wait until AFTER the child is born to make an adoption plan. After all, THEY are the ones making money off adoption not us!

Answer 3

I am once again going to agree with Lara. I really like the idea of making people that abuse their children pay to keep parents & children together when the parent wants to raise their child!

I think if you were to tax all adoptive parents, the children in foster care are going to suffer even more than they do now. I did not pay a dime for my son's adoption. The  Social service agency also paid for the new birth certificate. We make less than $60,000 a year, have one child in college with another one going next year, so the thought of more taxes is pretty scarey.

Answer 4

I do not think adoptive parents should have to pay more in taxes, they are not the ones seperating the "birth" family.  It is a good idea if the birth family pays more in taxes IF there child is in state custody, not one that signs over adoption, but a birth parent who neglected their child and thus in foster care, since they did not perserve the family they pay the tax.

Personally I do not want to pay any more taxes we pay enough as it is.

I just gave my opinion like most people do on here because you asked "what would you think of something like this"  I was just saying it is a good idea if it also covers parents who children are in foster care.  As for a taxes, single and marriage are at the same rate as of right now, that could change again under the next administration.  

Now to get the idea going a member of the house or senate must sponser a bill that will go to a sub-committee to research and look into the option of raising taxes on Adoptive Parents.  Most likely it would sit in the committee for years if it passes it would them be brought onto the floor for debate, if it passes the floor the acting president will either sign the bill or veto.

Answer 5

You know, instead of targeting a specific group, why not target the whole country.  You want to change society's thinking about adoption, you have to change everybodies thinking, not just adoptive parents and not just the adoption community.

Australians pay one of the highest tax rates in the world.  A lot of it goes to single parent pension, child care rebates, rental subsidies to low income earners, first-homeowners grants and we also have a government loan system where we can defer university fees until we are working full time and then we pay it off as a tax deduction.  There is also no stigma to children conceive out of wedlock. All these things can help a young single mother parent if she wishes to.

That in addition to adoption reforms has resulted in Australia having one of the lowest adoption rates in the world.

Is this possible in your country though?

Answer 6

I think the answer to keeping families together is not to put more of a tax burden on adoptive families than others, but to reform the adoption industry that creates a market for children.

Answer 7

The only problem i see with this is to further make adoption a thing for the rich. Now a few middle class individuals can do it but the increased taxes would deter people. What about low income people who adopt family member or from foster care will they pay more in taxes also.  In my state they have JUST started to get family to take on their kin with kinship foster care   then adoption. I think this will reverse that.

I am a foster parent  and in my county the need for foster families has decreased because families in the last few years are starting to foster then adopt their family which they have not done in the past.  partly because it was difficult and they would have to pay like private adoption. Now they encourage this and the need for foster families has gone way down.  there are long time foster parents who have not had placements in months or a year because of it.  i think that this legislation would reverse that

Answer 8

Oh man, well, if I were in charge then there would be a social safety net for EVERYONE and we would ALL pay for it based upon our incomes. In this safety net I would include health care, free birth control, paid leave for new parents, job training, high-quality child care, etc.

We are pretty far from this now, but I can dream, can't I?

PS: BTW, these days adoptive parents actually pay LOWER taxes, at least for the first year, and assuming they have adoption expenses (not always the case with foster/adoption).

PPS: I never heard of that part of VAWA. Is that law now? Married couples generally pay less too if they file jointly. One more reason for equal marriage laws.