Tax Credit Increase
Ukraine
AC News Travel Advisories.
Ukraine is currently accepting
dossiers only from families requesting children age 10 and older, special needs
children, or siblings of previously adopted children through May 1, 2006, when
the operation of the National Adoption Center is expected to transfer to the
Ministry of Family, Youth & Sports. Check back in the spring for
updates about how the procedures may change under the new ministry.
The US Embassy in Kyiv
if monitoring the adoption situation in Ukraine and updating their
website with any news on the day it happens. You can find the
latest updates at: http://kiev.usembassy.gov/amcit_adoptions_eng.html
2002 International Tax Credit
Increase!
The IRS codes were amended this year to increase the Tax
Credit for international adoptions completed in 2002 to $10,000 for couples
earning up to $150,000 per year! For couples earning less than $190,000,
you may be eligible for a partial tax credit. Check with your accountant
or the IRS web site www.irs.gov for more
complete details! Your expenses in the year 2000 should be included as
long as your adoption is completed in 2002 (a Ukraine adoption is finalized at
your court hearing in Ukraine, so this is the critical date).
Ukraine adoptions are taking
longer than previously - they now average 4-5 weeks in Ukraine.
The time from submission of your dossier in Ukraine to travel can range
from approximately 3-6 months (for older children) and 8 months to one
year for younger children.
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Ukraine has been
recently flooded with adoptive parents as there have been problems
in Russia and other countries. The Adoption Center and
orphanages are doing their best to meet the influx, but the
process of approval has slowed somewhat. It now takes 3-4
weeks for dossier review rather than 2 weeks before the Adoption
Center will invite parents to travel. The Adoption Center is
also scheduling appointments 2-8 weeks after the dossier approval,
so travel is sometimes delayed even more by this.
Baby girls are less
available than boys as always - being flexible about the age and
sex and/or health condition of the child/ren you adopt is better
suited to the Ukraine Adoption system.
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Before starting to
work on your Ukraine Adoption dossier submit your INS form I-600A.
This will save
you lots of time.
It
is preferable to have your home study for an international adoption
performed by a licensed adoption agency. You will also need a
notarized copy of their current license (and the social worker's
license if available).
-
Before making any
commitments, check references, paperwork and requirements. Call the contact
person and ask for any written agreements that this facilitator (agency)
provides as well as their references. If there is no such agreement, you are likely to have some
legitimate risks. Do not hesitate to contact the Better Business Bureau to
check on an organization..
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Ukraine Adoption
law does not allow pre-identification of children. If some agencies (or
facilitators) have photos and medical information on particular
children, they may charge large fees to cover risks involved. There
is a system for requesting specific school age children when there is a
legitimate reason to do so (the parents have met or heard about them
through another adoptive family for instance).
Up-to-Date
Travel Advisories
You can
find the latest warnings from the U.S. State Department for travelers on
their website www.state.gov/travel
or by contacting our office at infosrc@earthlink.net
(we receive all advisories and warnings issued by the State Department
so that we can advise parents of any travel concerns in Europe or
Eastern Europe. The State
Department posts warnings if they receive knowledge of threats against
Americans in a particular area.
Over
6 years experience & 300 completed intl. adoptions