26 U.S.C. § 23
Section 23 · Adoption expenses
Showing the earliest text we hold (August 20, 1996). You asked for September 3, 1954, which predates our version history.
View current version →(1) In general
In the case of an individual, there shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by this chapter the amount of the qualified adoption expenses paid or incurred by the taxpayer.
(2) Year credit allowed
The credit under paragraph (1) with respect to any expense shall be allowed—
(A) for the taxable year following the taxable year during which such expense is paid or incurred, or
(B) in the case of an expense which is paid or incurred during the taxable year in which the adoption becomes final, for such taxable year.
(1) Dollar limitation
The aggregate amount of qualified adoption expenses which may be taken into account under subsection (a) for all taxable years with respect to the adoption of a child by the taxpayer shall not exceed $5,000 ($6,000, in the case of a child with special needs).
(2) Income limitation
(A) In general
The amount allowable as a credit under subsection (a) for any taxable year shall be reduced (but not below zero) by an amount which bears the same ratio to the amount so allowable (determined without regard to this paragraph but with regard to paragraph (1)) as—
(i) the amount (if any) by which the taxpayer's adjusted gross income exceeds $75,000, bears to
(ii) $40,000.
(B) Determination of adjusted gross income
For purposes of subparagraph (A), adjusted gross income shall be determined—
(i) without regard to sections 911, 931, and 933, and
(ii) after the application of sections 86, 135, 137, 219, and 469.
(3) Denial of double benefit
(A) In general
No credit shall be allowed under subsection (a) for any expense for which a deduction or credit is allowed under any other provision of this chapter.
(B) Grants
No credit shall be allowed under subsection (a) for any expense to the extent that funds for such expense are received under any Federal, State, or local program.
If the credit allowable under subsection (a) for any taxable year exceeds the limitation imposed by section 26(a) for such taxable year reduced by the sum of the credits allowable under this subpart (other than this section), such excess shall be carried to the succeeding taxable year and added to the credit allowable under subsection (a) for such taxable year. No credit may be carried forward under this subsection to any taxable year following the fifth taxable year after the taxable year in which the credit arose. For purposes of the preceding sentence, credits shall be treated as used on a first-in first-out basis.
For purposes of this section—
(1) Qualified adoption expenses
The term “qualified adoption expenses” means reasonable and necessary adoption fees, court costs, attorney fees, and other expenses—
(A) which are directly related to, and the principal purpose of which is for, the legal adoption of an eligible child by the taxpayer,
(B) which are not incurred in violation of State or Federal law or in carrying out any surrogate parenting arrangement,
(C) which are not expenses in connection with the adoption by an individual of a child who is the child of such individual's spouse, and
(D) which are not reimbursed under an employer program or otherwise.
(2) Eligible child
The term “eligible child” means any individual—
(A) who—
(i) has not attained age 18, or
(ii) is physically or mentally incapable of caring for himself, and
(B) in the case of qualified adoption expenses paid or incurred after December 31, 2001, who is a child with special needs.
(3) Child with special needs
The term “child with special needs” means any child if—
(A) a State has determined that the child cannot or should not be returned to the home of his parents,
(B) such State has determined that there exists with respect to the child a specific factor or condition (such as his ethnic background, age, or membership in a minority or sibling group, or the presence of factors such as medical conditions or physical, mental, or emotional handicaps) because of which it is reasonable to conclude that such child cannot be placed with adoptive parents without providing adoption assistance, and
(C) such child is a citizen or resident of the United States (as defined in section 217(h)(3)).
In the case of an adoption of a child who is not a citizen or resident of the United States (as defined in section 217(h)(3))—
(1) subsection (a) shall not apply to any qualified adoption expense with respect to such adoption unless such adoption becomes final, and
(2) any such expense which is paid or incurred before the taxable year in which such adoption becomes final shall be taken into account under this section as if such expense were paid or incurred during such year.
(1) Married couples must file joint returns
Rules similar to the rules of paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of section 21(e) shall apply for purposes of this section.
(2) Taxpayer must include TIN
(A) In general
No credit shall be allowed under this section with respect to any eligible child unless the taxpayer includes (if known) the name, age, and TIN of such child on the return of tax for the taxable year.
(B) Other methods
The Secretary may, in lieu of the information referred to in subparagraph (A), require other information meeting the purposes of subparagraph (A), including identification of an agent assisting with the adoption.
For purposes of this subtitle, if a credit is allowed under this section for any expenditure with respect to any property, the increase in the basis of such property which would (but for this subsection) result from such expenditure shall be reduced by the amount of the credit so allowed.
The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be appropriate to carry out this section and section 137, including regulations which treat unmarried individuals who pay or incur qualified adoption expenses with respect to the same child as 1 taxpayer for purposes of applying the dollar limitation in subsection (b)(1) of this section and in section 137(b)(1).
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Prior Provisions
A prior section 23, added Pub. L. 95–618, title I, §101(a), Nov. 9, 1978, 92 Stat. 3175, §44C; amended Pub. L. 96–223, title II, §§201, 202(a)–(d), 203(a), Apr. 2, 1980, 94 Stat. 256, 258; renumbered §23 and amended Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title IV, §§471(c), 474(e), title VI, §612(e)(2), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 826, 831, 912, related to residential energy credit, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 101–508, title XI, §11801(a)(1), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388–520.
Effective Date
Section 1807(e) of Pub. L. 104–188 provided that: “The amendments made by this section [enacting this section and section 137 of this title, renumbering former section 137 of this title as section 138, and amending sections 25, 86, 135, 219, 469, and 1016 of this title] shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 1996.”
Tax Credit and Gross Income Exclusion Study and Report
Section 1807(d) of Pub. L. 104–188 provided that: “The Secretary of the Treasury shall study the effect on adoptions of the tax credit and gross income exclusion established by the amendments made by this section [enacting this section and section 137 of this title, renumbering former section 137 of this title as section 138, and amending sections 25, 86, 135, 219, 469, and 1016 of this title] and shall submit a report regarding the study to the Committee on Finance of the Senate and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives not later than January 1, 2000.”