In August 2016, New York state expanded its definition of a parent to include caretakers without biological or adoptive ties. In September 2016, a first court case put that definition to the test.
News Brief: WHO Set to Broaden Definition of “Infertile” to Include Singles and Same-Sex Couples
Under the World Health Organization’s previous definition, infertility was failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. Its expanded version will apply to more families.
News Brief: IRS Increases 2017 Adoption Tax Credit
Each year, the IRS adjusts tax provisions to account for inflation. Learn about changes to the adoption tax credit for tax year 2017.
News Brief: Children in Foster Care More Likely to Have Health Problems
For the first time, a study compared the health of children who spent time in foster care with those who hadn’t, and it found higher risk levels on several fronts.
News Brief: Deportation Likely for Adam Crapser
After an October court ruling, a man adopted from South Korea by U.S. citizens at age three may be deported, almost 40 years later. Learn how to support the Adoptee Citizenship Act, which could prevent similar cases in the future.
Best Apps for Adoptive Parents
We’ve compiled a list of the top 10 expert- and reader-recommended apps for prospective parents and new families.
News Briefs: Intercountry Adoption Updates, Spring 2016
Intercountry adoption laws are always changing. Learn about the changes from the first quarter of 2016 here.
News Briefs: State Adoption Law Updates, Spring 2016
Pennsylvania, Indiana, Florida, and Iowa all made or are considering changes to their state adoption laws in the beginning of 2016. Read on to learn more.
News Brief: For Some Parents, International Adoption Decision Reflects Racial Bias
A new study by the University of Vermont concluded that race plays a role for some parents who adopt internationally rather than domestically. Researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 41 mostly white parents who had, collectively, adopted 33 children of various ethnic and racial backgrounds from 10 different countries, as well as the United States.
News Brief: Bill Proposes More Leave for Adoptive Parents in the Military
Representative Tammy Duckworth introduced the Military Leave Modernization Act, which would guarantee 12 weeks of leave for all military parents.
News Brief: U.S. Supreme Court Reverses Alabama’s Refusal to Recognize Same-Sex Adoption
The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that denied the parental rights of a partner in a former same-sex couple.
News Brief: Further Decline in International Adoption in 2015
In 2015, parents in the United States adopted 5,648 children from 89 different countries. The number of intercountry adoptions completed by parents in the U.S. has steadily dropped since 22,884 children were adopted in 2004.
News Brief: Mississippi Suit Opposes Ban on Same-Sex Adoption
Many hoped the U.S. Supreme Court ruling to recognize marriage as a constitutional right for same-sex couples would pave the way for changes in same-sex adoption. Now, a suit filed in Mississippi is attempting to do just that.
International Adoption in 2014 at Lowest Level Since 1982
The most recent State Department figures show that the number of foreign children adopted by United States parents declined by nine percent in 2014, bringing the number to its lowest in thirty three years – only 692 adoptions from the record low of 1982. There were 6,441 international adoptions – 653 less than in 2013.…
2015 Adoption Tax Credit Maximum Increases
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has raised the maximum adoption tax credit 2015 to $13,400, to account for inflation.
New York Considers Legalizing Compensated Surrogacy
The Child-Parent Security Act addresses the legal rights of families formed in non-traditional ways, and through compensated surrogacy.
Korean Adoptee Wins Grammy Music Educator Award
Jared Cassedy, a Korean adoptee, was awarded the second annual Grammy Music Educator title from The Recording Academy and Grammy Foundation.
Korean Adoptee Is a Top Yankees Prospect
Robert Refsnyder, a Korean adoptee, hopes to become the Yankees’ starting second baseman after playing in the minor leagues.
2015 Open Records Initiatives
Several states have proposed legislation that would grant adoptee rights to access their original birth certificates and other records in 2015.
Updates to U.S.—Vietnamese Special Adoption Program
Vietnam’s Ministry of Justice’s Department of Adoptions updated the criteria for Hague Convention intercountry adoption to the United States.
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