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The children are counting on you for a Brighter Future!
 
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Dillon International has achieved Hague Accreditation from the
Council on Accreditation.

 

Dillon Regional News

Check out the events & educational opportunities being offered through Dillon's regional locations:

Request an Application

Receive a FREE info packet on international adoption!

Best in America

Independent Charities of America Seal of Excellence AwardDillon International
(aka orphancare International)

has achieved the
Independent Charities of America's Seal of Excellence award.
 

Have the Courage to Care
 
You can help a child right now  who is in need while he/she awaits adoption by
a "forever family."
 

  Building Families

A Rosalind Cook statue of Jesus Christ wth a group of children at His feet and in His lap

Matthew 19:14 . . . but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for such belongs the kingdom of heaven."
Click here for a daily
devotional for families

 

2008 Information Meetings

2008 Schedule
May 13. . .Little Rock, AR
May 13. . .Kansas City, KS /
                Kansas City, MO
May 13. . .Tulsa, OK
May 13. . . Dallas, TX
Jun 3  . . . St. Louis, MO
Jun 7  . . . Orange County, CA
Jun 10. . . Little Rock, AR
Jun 21 . . .St. Charles, MO
Aug 5 . . . St. Louis, MO
Aug 5. . . .Kansas City, KS
Aug 12. . . Tulsa, OK
Sept 6. . . Orange County, CA
Sept 9. . . Little Rock, AR
Sept 16. . .Dallas, TX
Oct 4  . . . Orange County, CA
Oct 7 . . . St. Louis, MO
Oct 7 . . . Kansas City, KS
Oct 14. . . Tulsa, OK
Nov 11 . . .Dallas, TX
Nov 11. . . Little Rock, AR
Nov 15. . . Orange County, CA
Dec 2. . . .St. Louis, MO
Dec 9 . . . Tulsa, OK

Pre-Adoption Workshops
2008 Schedule
May 17. . .Dallas, TX
May 31. . .Little Rock, AR
Jun 21. . . Orange County, CA
Aug 9 . . . Tulsa, OK
Aug 23. . . Wichita, KS
Sept 6 . . .Orange County, CA
Sept 13. . .St. Louis, MO
Sept 13. . .Little Rock, AR
Oct 11. . . Tulsa, OK
Nov 8. . . . Oklahoma City, OK
Dec 6 . . . Orange County, CA
Dec 6 . . . Tulsa, OK
Dec 6 . . . Dallas, TX

To register, click here!

To Contact Us:
OFFICE HOURS (CST)
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM...Mon-Thurs
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM...Friday

LOCATIONS:
In Oklahoma -- main office
3227 East 31st Street, #200
Tulsa, OK  74105
Voice: 918/749-4600
Fax:  918/749-7144
Email this office

In Arkansas --
4702 W. Commercial Dr., #B1
North Little Rock, AR 72116
and
1882 North Starr Road
Fayetteville, AR  72701
Voice:  501/791-9300
Fax:  501/791-9303
Email this office

In California -- 
18001 Irvine Blvd., Suite 101
Tustin, CA  92780
Voice: 714/734-8600
Fax:  714/734-8688
Email this office

In Kansas --
5934 East 10th Street
Wichita, KS  67208
Voice:  316/682-2595
Email this office

IIn Missouri --
1 First Missouri Center, #115
St. Louis, MO  63141
Voice: 314/576-4100
Fax:  314/453-9975
Email this office

In Texas --
P. O. Box 2785
Coppell, TX 75019
Voice:  972/263-1539
Fax:  972/624-8241
Email this office

In Indiana --
Voice:  765/965-1195
Email our Midwest Regional Coordinator

Affiliations          
 

Joint Council on International Children's Services Logo
Joint Council on International Children's Services

North American Association of Christians in Social Work Logo
North American Association of Christians in Social Work

A proud participant of:

Combined Federal Campaign Logo
Combined Federal Campaign

New CFC #11823!

 
 
Agency operations powered by:

FamilyBuilder adoption database management software logo
Burns Data Control, Inc.
"Adoption Software Designed By And For Adoption Agencies"

 
 
 
 

   

Federal/State Adoption Tax Credits

Military Families

Adoption Grants

Dillon's Building Families Fund
 
Adoption Loans

Employer Benefits
  

Lifestyle Adjustments

      Adoptive father with his adopted Korean son on his shoulders

After choosing international adoption as the means to build your family, the next biggest decision for many families is how to finance their child's adoption.  You Don't Have to Be Wealthy to Adopt!  More resources are available to families today-- from corporations to foundation grants to government assistance--which make adopting a child more feasible than before.  Some of the common ways that families have underwritten part or much of their adoption expenses are listed below along with other creative ideas that many of our adoptive families have used to successfully cover their adoption expenses.

 

 

 

Federal and/or State Adoption Tax Credits

Beginning in 2008, the U.S. federal government is offering an adoption tax credit up to $11,650 to adoptive families whose modified adjusted gross income is $214,730 or less on qualifying expenses paid for a child's adoption.  The maximum exclusion from income for benefits under your employer's adoption assistance program has also increased to $11,650. These amounts will be phased out if your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is between $174,730 and $214,730.  For more information on the federal adoption tax credit, click here or download IRS Form #8839. 

In addition, many states offer adoption tax credits or an income tax deduction for families who are adopting a child.  Please check with a local tax accountant for possible tax credits and/or tax deductions available to you from the state in which you reside.  See chart below for individual states' prospective reimbursement of non-recurring adoption expenses. 

This information is being provided as a free community service and should not be relied upon.  We advise that you first consult with your local tax professional for verification of your state's potential adoption tax credits or reimbursement of non-recurring adoption expenses.

Chart on Reimbursement of Non-Recurring Expenses

State

Reimbursement Amount

Alabama

$1,000 limit*

Alaska

$2,000 per child*

Arizona

$2,000 per child

Arkansas

$1,500 per child

California

$400 per child

Colorado

$800 per child

Connecticut

$750**

Delaware

------

District of Columbia

$1,000 (uncontested) $2,000 (contested)

Florida

$1,000 per child

Georgia

$2,000 per child*

Hawaii

$2,000 per child

Idaho

$2,000 per child*

Illinois

$1,500 per child

Indiana

$1,500 per child (maximum)

Iowa

------*

Kansas

$2,000 per child*

Kentucky

$1,000 per child*

Louisiana

$1,000 per child

Maine

$2,000 per child (maximum)

Maryland

$2,000*

Massachusetts

$400 per child

Michigan

$2,000 per child

Minnesota

$2,000 per child

Mississippi

$1,000 per child*

Missouri

$2,000 per child*

Montana

$2,000 per child

Nebraska

$1,500 per child*

Nevada

$250 per child

New Hampshire

$2,000 per child

New Jersey

$2,000 per child

New Mexico

$2,000 per child

New York

$2,000 per child (maximum)

North Carolina

$2,000 per child

North Dakota

$2,000 per child

Ohio

$2,000 per child*

Oklahoma

$2,000*

Oregon

$2,000 per child (including attorney fees)

Pennsylvania

$2,000 per child

Rhode Island

$1,000 per child

South Carolina

$1,500 per child

South Dakota

$1,500 limit per child

Tennessee

$1,500 per child

Texas

$1,500 per child

Utah

$2,000 per child*

Vermont

$2,000 per child*

Virginia

$2,000 per child per placement

Washington

$1,500

West Virginia

$2,000 per child (maximum)

Wisconsin

$2,000 per child (maximum)

Wyoming

$2,000 per child

 

* - These states will consider reimbursement of nonrecurring adoption costs for international adoptees. Other states may have provisions for covering international reimbursement expenses. Contact your state subsidy representative for more information.

** - These states will NOT consider reimbursement of any international adoption non-recurring expenses

Source: North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC), 1998

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Military Families

Active-duty military families may be reimbursed up to $2,000 in eligible adoption expenses.  Please contact your specific branch of the military or download the following information from the National Military Family Association.

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Adoption Grants

Every day we learn about new grant programs through our adoptive families which offer funds to help defray adoption expenses.  Some of the programs that we recommend:

Shaohannah's Hope, a foundation established by Steven Curtis Chapman and Mary Beth Chapman to provide information and assistance to families interested in adopting.

China Care Foundation, created to assist American families interested in adopting Chinese children, to provide support to orphans with special needs and the families who adopt them, and to improve orphan care in China.  Download CCF's financial aid application.

Affording Adoption, a website created by a Dillon adoptive mom, which lists additional grant resources, loan opportunities and fundraising ideas for families to consider.

LifeSong for Orphans, (formerly known as Life International.) encourages God's people to adopt a child by relieving some of the financial burden of international adoption.  They provide adoption matching grants from $1,000 - $4,000 per child.  Visit their website or call 309/747-3556 or email for more information.  

HelpUsAdopt.org is a new national financial grant program established by an adoptive family desiring to help other families to afford adoption.  The program will begin accepting applications from qualified couples & individuals beginning November 1, 2007.  Grants will range from $500 to $15,000 dependent upon need.  Visit their website or call 917/684-5484 or email for more information.

Gift of Adoption Fund is a publicly funded adoption grant program created in 1996 by an adoptive family to help other families to afford adoption.  The fund awards grants in the form of a subsidy to assist adoptive families with the costs associated with adopting a child. Gift of Adoption fund has helped more than 300 children from around the world find permanent homes, awarding over $1 million in grants.

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Dillon's Building Families Fund

Dillon International offers the Building Families Fund to help families, who qualify for financial assistance, with their adoption and to help children with special needs to find a permanent family.  This fund was established by several Dillon adoptive families who wanted to share their joy in adoption with other families, who might not have the financial resources to realize their dream of building a family. They also created the fund to help children with special needs become more accessible for adoption.  This fund is only available to families who are adopting through Dillon International.

The average grant with the Building Families Fund is $2,000, but may be less or more depending upon an individual family's need.

If you are interested in adopting through Dillon International and would like more information about qualifying for a Building Families Fund grant, please contact Dillon's office via email or call 918/749-4600.

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Adoption Loans

Some adoptive families have utilized a bank loan or a line of credit to assist them with their adoption expenses.  While borrowing money for an adoption may not be an adoptive family's first choice, adoptive families may find a loan helpful in covering the large and immediate adoption expenses especially if they will be able to repay the loan quickly with a tax credit or an employer's adoption benefit reimbursement.  Several possible loan sources include:

  • HOME EQUITY LOANS. Interest rates often are reasonable and the interest is tax deductible. Just remember, you're putting your home at risk.

  • INSURANCE. You may be able to borrow from the cash value of your life insurance policy.

  • LOW-INTEREST LOANS. Some banks offer low-interest loans or credit lines for adoptive parents.  

  • PRIVATE GRANT AND SPECIAL LOAN PROGRAMS.
    The National Adoption Foundation offers adoption grants and low-interest loans, both home equity and unsecured, to qualified adoptive families.  Visit their website for more information and how to submit an application.  Lifetime Adoption offers a simple loan program to qualified families with average credit.  There are no upfront fees.  Families may repay the loan at any time and can finance the loan up to five years.  Visit their website or call 530/271-1740 to receive an application via fax or email.

  • RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS.   Many church congregations welcome the opportunity to help fellow church members adopt a child from another country by organizing community fundraisers or by offering a cash gift to help cover adoption expenses.
    The Hebrew Free Loan Association offers Jewish families interest-free loans to adopt domestically or internationally.

  • RELATIVES.  Although it may be uncomfortable to ask family members for money, don't overlook the potential generosity of extended family members who might be waiting for an opportunity to help out with your adoption in order to be a part of making your dream a reality.

  • CREDIT CARDS & RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS.  Two other possible sources to use for adoption expenses are credit cards and loans on retirement accounts, such as 401(k)s and profit-sharing plans.  Credit cards are an easy source of cash, but typically charge high interest rates.  Loans on retirement plans offer somewhat lower interest rates; however, if either spouse loses or changes jobs and the loan cannot be repaid within a short period of time, the loan becomes a taxable withdrawal with an additional 10% early withdrawal penalty fee.  Although tempting to use, adoption loans by credit card or on retirement accounts should be considered only as a last resort. 

(Loan information courtesy of the National Endowment for Financial Education's booklet "How to Make Adoption an Affordable Option.")

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Employer Benefits

Many companies offer adoption benefits to their employees which may range from financial assistance for their adoption expenses to paid/unpaid parental leave. The National Adoption Center has compiled a list of companies who provide adoption benefits. Please check to see if your company has been listed or contact your company's human resources department for more information on potential adoption benefits available to you.

If your employer doesn't currently offer adoption benefits, and you would like to lobby for the addition of this benefit to your employer's benefit plan, The National Adoption Center also offers a FREE "Adoption-Friendly Workplace Guide" on its website, which offers many helpful suggestions on how you might approach your employer to have this benefit added to your employee benefit plan.

To learn more, download the article:  How to Lobby your Employer for Adoption Benefits

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Lifestyle Adjustments (creative ideas by our adoptive families)

  • Talk with your health insurance company to see if they offer maternity benefits for an adoption

  • Refinance your house and/or car

  • Have a garage sale or use the internet to sell items that you don't use anymore

  • Visit A Mother's Love for other fundraising ideas to cover potential adoption expenses

  • Save earnings from a second job to go toward adoption expenses

  • Ask your church about helping with your family's adoption expenses

  • Begin subtracting "known baby costs" from your paycheck to help save money for adoption expenses, but also to learn how to live on a smaller income

  • Skip your vacation, stop eating out as much, and shop more for bargains

  • And don't forget to ask God for guidance in meeting adoption expenses

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Copyright (c) 2008  DILLON INTERNATIONAL, INC. All contents of Dillon's website are copyrighted and protected under the United States and other copyright laws. All other rights reserved. For website questions or comments, please email Dillon's webmaster or call 918.749.4600.