I just received this email today from JCICS about the Adoption Tax Credit:
ALERT – BREAKING NEWS: Last Wednesday, February
26, Chairman Camp of the Ways and Means Committee released his much anticipated
tax reform proposal and it eliminates the adoption tax credit.
This breaking news makes our advocacy efforts that much more critical. Now that
an actual legislative proposal has suggested eliminating the credit altogether,
we need to ensure that every single Member of Congress hears from us
about its importance. Members will only be compelled to fight for its
protection if they hear real stories from all of you.
Key Message: Outreach to your legislators is the only way to protect the
adoption tax credit.
Members of Congress want to hear from you – their constituents –
about what matters to you. Legislators only need to hear from 20
constituents about an issue before it becomes important to them.
Remember, Members of Congress are people and oftentimes it is a personal
story about why a law is needed that motivates them to act. They also
understand that they are there to represent the people of their district.
They want to know how a particular policy will affect those they are called to
serve.
Highlighted FAQ: When will
Congress vote on the Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act (H.R. 2144/S.1056)?
• An individual vote on this bill is unlikely to happen. However,
the adoption tax credit will remain part of the broader tax reform discussions
and is now particularly vulnerable given the proposal to eliminate it. The more
Congressional co-sponsors these bills have, the more likely the adoption tax
credit will receive favorable attention in these discussions in Congress.
Members of Congress are hearing daily from paid lobbyists about other tax
related interests, and will have to make tough decisions about which tax
policies are their ultimate priorities. Let’s not let the adoption tax credit
become a victim because Members of Congress haven’t heard enough about its
importance to their constituents! Don’t delay. Ask your Members of Congress to
cosponsor H.R. 2144/S.1056 and share their responses here: info@adoptiontaxcredit.org.
Call to Action: Initial
Emails to Your Members of Congress - Figure out who your three Members of
Congress (2 Senators and 1 Representative) are by using senate.gov and
house.gov. Using their websites, figure out the best way to contact each
of them (often it will be through an email or a form on their website). Email
each of them and explain the importance of adoption and ask for their support
in protecting the credit. Use our sample template letter (here) as a starting point, but be sure to personalize it. Speak from
the heart and share your story about why the ATC is important to children, your
family, or others in your life. Provide the link to www.adoptiontaxcredit.org in your email so they can find additional information.
Below is what you can do - step by step!
Advocate!
Below are a number of resources to help your advocacy efforts:
The adoption tax credit provides financial benefits to families that open their homes to children through adoption from foster care, intercountry adoption, or private domestic adoption.
The adoption tax credit, with a maximum of $12,970 in 2013 in 2012, has helped to offset the high cost of adoption for hundreds of thousands of families since it was established in 1997. The IRS estimates that the credit benefited 96,949 children and their families in 2010. With more than 100,000 children in U.S. foster care available for adoption and countless millions of orphans and abandoned children around the world, the continuation of the adoption tax credit is vital to providing love, safety, and permanency through adoption to as many children as possible.
The Need
The adoption tax credit was finally made a permanent part of the U.S. tax code with the passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. However, the credit was not made refundable as it was in 2010 and 2011. We must ask Congress to make the adoption tax credit refundable so that it can help more children and families.
Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the House and Senate to make the adoption tax credit refundable. One-third of all adopted children live in families with annual household incomes at or below 200% of the poverty level, meaning many do not have a tax liability and cannot use a non-refundable tax credit. Nationally nearly half (46%) of families adopting from foster care are at or below 200% of poverty the level. A refundable adoption tax credit makes an enormous difference in terms of which families are able to claim the credit. Many parents who provide loving homes to waiting children cannot use the non-refundable adoption tax credit at all—and these are among those who need it most.
Help us take action today!
On May 23, 2013, Representative Bruce Braley (IA) introduced the Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act (H.R. 2144). If you are contacting your Representative’s office, ask your Representative to become a co-sponsor of H.R. 2144. (First check this list to see if your Representative has already signed on.)
On the Senate side, on May 23, 2013, Senator Robert Casey, Jr. (PA) introduced S. 1056. Call both of your federal Senators and ask them to become co-sponsors of S. 1056. (First check here to see if your Senators have signed on.)
Learn more about both bills. You can find your Representative and Senators’ contact information by visiting: www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm or www.house.gov/representatives.
Important Tips
When making your contact:
- A document with the ATCWG’s four goals and a list of the more than 100 organizations nationwide who support these goals
- Sample phone/visit script
- Sample e-mail/letter
- Sample op-ed
- Advocacy tips
The adoption tax credit provides financial benefits to families that open their homes to children through adoption from foster care, intercountry adoption, or private domestic adoption.
The adoption tax credit, with a maximum of $12,970 in 2013 in 2012, has helped to offset the high cost of adoption for hundreds of thousands of families since it was established in 1997. The IRS estimates that the credit benefited 96,949 children and their families in 2010. With more than 100,000 children in U.S. foster care available for adoption and countless millions of orphans and abandoned children around the world, the continuation of the adoption tax credit is vital to providing love, safety, and permanency through adoption to as many children as possible.
The Need
The adoption tax credit was finally made a permanent part of the U.S. tax code with the passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. However, the credit was not made refundable as it was in 2010 and 2011. We must ask Congress to make the adoption tax credit refundable so that it can help more children and families.
Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the House and Senate to make the adoption tax credit refundable. One-third of all adopted children live in families with annual household incomes at or below 200% of the poverty level, meaning many do not have a tax liability and cannot use a non-refundable tax credit. Nationally nearly half (46%) of families adopting from foster care are at or below 200% of poverty the level. A refundable adoption tax credit makes an enormous difference in terms of which families are able to claim the credit. Many parents who provide loving homes to waiting children cannot use the non-refundable adoption tax credit at all—and these are among those who need it most.
Help us take action today!
On May 23, 2013, Representative Bruce Braley (IA) introduced the Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act (H.R. 2144). If you are contacting your Representative’s office, ask your Representative to become a co-sponsor of H.R. 2144. (First check this list to see if your Representative has already signed on.)
On the Senate side, on May 23, 2013, Senator Robert Casey, Jr. (PA) introduced S. 1056. Call both of your federal Senators and ask them to become co-sponsors of S. 1056. (First check here to see if your Senators have signed on.)
Learn more about both bills. You can find your Representative and Senators’ contact information by visiting: www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm or www.house.gov/representatives.
Important Tips
When making your contact:
- Be sure to say, “I am a constituent”.
- If you’re calling, ask for the staff person that handles tax issues or adoption-related issues for the office. If no one is available, leave a detailed message with contact information.
- Be direct in your request: “I want my member of Congress to become a co-sponsor of S.1056/H.R.2144).”
- Make it relevant. Share your personal adoption experience and explain why the refundable adoption tax credit is important.
- If possible, when visiting D.C., try to make an appointment.
- Follow up and thank the staff and member of Congress when they become a cosponsor.
- If your legislator has not signed on, find out why and try to further educate him or her on the issue.
- information found at: http://adoptiontaxcredit.org/advocate/
No comments:
Post a Comment