52 Adoption tax credit. Effective for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2014,

an adoption tax credit is available for individual income tax equal to the amount of qualified adoption expenses paid or incurred by a taxpayer related to the adoption of a child. For an adoption finalized on or after January 1, 2014, but before January 1, 2017, the total adoption tax credit claimed for the adoption may not exceed $2,500. For an adoption finalized on or after January 1, 2017, the total adoption tax credit claimed for the adoption may not exceed $5,000. 304.52(1) Adoption. For purposes of the credit, an adoption occurs when a child is permanently placed in Iowa by any of the following: a. The department of human services; b. An adoption service provider as defined in Iowa Code section 600A.2; or c. An agency that meets the provisions of the interstate compact in Iowa Code section 232.158. 304.52(2) Child. A “child” is an individual who is under the age of 18 years. “Child” does not include any individual who is 18 years of age or older. 304.52(3) Qualified adoption expenses. a. Generally. “Qualified adoption expenses” means unreimbursed expenses paid or incurred in connection with the adoption of a child. Qualified adoption expenses include all fees and costs related to the adoption of a child, such as: (1) Medical and hospital expenses of the biological mother that are incident to the child’s birth; (2) Welfare agency fees and other reasonable and necessary adoption fees; (3) Court costs, attorney fees, and other legal fees; (4) Travel expenses, including amounts spent for meals and lodging while away from home; and (5) All other fees and costs related to the adoption of a child. b. Limitations. Expenses that are eligible for the federal adoption credit as provided in Section 23(d) (1) of the Internal Revenue Code will be considered qualified adoption expenses. Expenses paid or incurred in violation of state or federal law are not qualified adoption expenses. Expenses that have been reimbursed are not qualified adoption expenses. 304.52(4) Claiming the credit. a. Amount eligible for credit. For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, but beginning before January 1, 2017, the first $2,500 of qualified adoption expenses is eligible for the credit. For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2017, the first $5,000 of qualified adoption expenses is eligible for the credit. The maximum credit amount is determined at the time the adoption becomes final. If the qualified adoption expenses are less than the maximum credit amount, then the total amount of qualified expenses can be claimed as a credit. The amount of tax credit claimed cannot be used as an itemized deduction for adoption expenses provided in 701—subrule 303.5(3). b. Claiming the credit in tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, but before January 1, 2019. (1) Claiming the credit in the year the adoption becomes final. For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, but before January 1, 2019, to claim an adoption tax credit, a taxpayer must claim the credit for all qualified adoption expenses paid or incurred in the tax year the adoption becomes final, up to the maximum credit amount provided in paragraph 304.52(4)“a.” Revenue[701] Ch 304, p.88 IAC 1/21/26 Example: Michael and Lori are married. Michael and Lori adopt a child who is permanently placed in Iowa. The adoption process begins and becomes final in 2015. Because the adoption becomes final on or after January 1, 2014, but prior to January 1, 2017, Michael and Lori qualify for a maximum credit amount of $2,500. Michael and Lori incur and pay unreimbursed qualified adoption expenses of $20,000 in 2015. Michael and Lori jointly file their Iowa individual income tax return in 2015. Michael and Lori may claim an Iowa adoption tax credit of $2,500 in 2015. (2) Claiming the credit in years other than the year the adoption becomes final. For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, but before January 1, 2019, if a taxpayer cannot claim the maximum credit amount provided in paragraph 304.52(4)“a” for the year the adoption becomes final, the taxpayer may amend a prior year’s return to claim any remaining credit for expenses paid in that prior year, or the taxpayer may claim any remaining credit on a subsequent year’s return for expenses paid in that subsequent year. If a qualified adoption expense was incurred in one tax year and paid in another tax year, the taxpayer may only claim a credit for that expense in one year. The total adoption tax credit claimed for all years combined may not exceed the maximum credit amount per adoption provided in paragraph 304.52(4)“a.” An adjustment to a prior’s year return is subject to the limitations in rule 701—302.20(422). Example: Erin adopts a child as a single parent. The child is permanently placed in Iowa. The adoption process begins in 2016 and becomes final in 2017. Because the adoption becomes final on or after January 1, 2017, Erin qualifies for a maximum credit amount of $5,000. Erin pays and incurs unreimbursed qualified adoption expenses of $20,000 in 2016 and $1,000 in 2017. In tax year 2017, Erin may claim an Iowa adoption tax credit equal to the $1,000 in unreimbursed qualified adoption expenses paid and incurred in 2017. After claiming the credit for tax year 2017, Erin may amend the 2016 return to claim the remaining $4,000 credit for unreimbursed qualified adoption expenses paid and incurred in 2016. c. Claiming the credit in tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2019. (1) Claiming the credit in the year the adoption becomes final. For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2019, to claim an adoption tax credit, a taxpayer must claim the credit in the tax year the adoption is finalized for all qualified adoption expenses paid or incurred prior to or in the tax year the adoption becomes final, up to the maximum credit amount of $5,000. A taxpayer shall not amend a prior year return in an attempt to claim the credit for unreimbursed qualified adoption expenses paid or incurred prior to the tax year in which the adoption becomes final. Example: Y and Z are married. Y and Z adopt a child who is permanently placed in Iowa. The adoption process begins in 2016 and becomes final in 2019. Because the adoption becomes final on or after January 1, 2017, Y and Z qualify for a maximum credit amount of $5,000. Additionally, because the adoption becomes final on or after January 1, 2019, Y and Z may claim an Iowa adoption tax credit for unreimbursed qualified adoption expenses paid or incurred prior to or in the year the adoption becomes final. Y and Z incur and pay unreimbursed qualified adoption expenses of $5,000 in 2016, $10,000 in 2017, $2,000 in 2018, and $2,000 in 2019. Y and Z jointly file their Iowa individual income tax return in 2019. Y and Z may claim an Iowa adoption tax credit of $5,000 on their 2019 Iowa income tax return. Y and Z are not allowed to amend a prior year return in an attempt to claim the credit for unreimbursed qualified adoption expenses paid or incurred prior to the tax year in which the adoption became final. (2) Claiming the credit in years after the adoption becomes final. For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2019, if a taxpayer cannot claim the maximum credit amount of $5,000 for the year the adoption becomes final, the taxpayer may claim an adoption tax credit for any unreimbursed qualified adoption expenses paid or incurred after the tax year in which the adoption becomes final in the tax year in which unreimbursed qualified adoption expenses are paid or incurred. Example: W and X are married. W and X adopt a child who is permanently placed in Iowa. The adoption process begins in 2018 and becomes final in 2019. Because the adoption becomes final on or after January 1, 2017, W and X qualify for a maximum credit amount of $5,000. W and X incur and pay unreimbursed qualified adoption expenses of $1,000 in 2018, and $1,000 in 2019. W and X jointly file their Iowa individual income tax return in 2019. W and X may claim the Iowa adoption tax credit in 2019 in the amount of $2,000. In 2020, W and X incur and pay $5,000 in unreimbursed qualified adoption expenses in connection to the adoption finalized in 2019. W and X may claim the remaining $3,000 credit on their jointly filed Iowa individual income tax return for 2020 for unreimbursed qualified Revenue[701] IAC 1/21/26 Ch 304, p.89 adoption expenses incurred and paid in 2020. W and X shall not amend their 2019 return to reflect the additional unreimbursed qualified adoption expenses from 2020. d. Claiming the credit by two adoptive parents. The adoption tax credit may only be claimed by a person who adopted the child. When a married couple adopts a child together and the couple files jointly on the same return, the credit may only be claimed once between the couple. When any other two persons adopt a child together, including married persons filing separately on the same or different returns or any unmarried persons filing on separate returns, the credit must be divided between the adoptive parents. Two adoptive parents, other than persons who are married filing jointly, may agree to divide the credit in any way. The total adoption tax credit claimed for all years by both parents combined may not exceed the maximum credit amount per adoption provided in paragraph 304.52(4)“a.” Example: Peyton and Kerry are unmarried individuals. Peyton and Kerry adopt a child together. The child is permanently placed in Iowa. The adoption process begins and ends in 2018. Because the adoption becomes final on or after January 1, 2017, Peyton and Kerry qualify for a maximum credit amount of $5,000. However, Peyton and Kerry pay and incur unreimbursed qualified adoption expenses of only $3,000 in 2018. Accordingly, Peyton and Kerry may claim an Iowa adoption tax credit of $3,000 in 2018, which must be divided between them. Peyton and Kerry agree that Peyton will claim $2,000 of the credit, and Kerry will claim $1,000 of the credit. e. Adoption of a special needs child. If a taxpayer adopts a special needs child, the credit under this rule cannot exceed the amount of qualified adoption expenses paid or incurred by the taxpayer during the tax year. The amount of the federal adoption tax credit claimed for the adoption of a special needs child does not affect the amount of the credit under this rule. Example: Francis and Mandy are married. Francis and Mandy adopt a special needs child who is permanently placed in Iowa. The adoption process begins and ends in 2017. Francis and Mandy paid and incurred $2,000 in unreimbursed qualified adoption expenses related to the adoption during 2017. For federal purposes, Francis and Mandy qualify for a maximum adoption tax credit of $13,570 for the adoption of a special needs child. For Iowa purposes, Francis and Mandy qualify for a maximum adoption tax credit of $2,000, which is equal to the amount of unreimbursed qualified adoption expenses they paid or incurred related to the adoption during the tax year. f. Adoption tax credit in excess of tax liability. Any credit in excess of the taxpayer’s tax liability is refundable. In lieu of claiming the refund, the taxpayer may elect to have the overpayment credited to the tax liability for the following tax year. This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code section 422.12A as amended by 2016 Iowa Acts, House File 2468; 2017 Iowa Acts, Senate File 433; and 2019 Iowa Acts, House File 779. [ARC 1665C, IAB 10/15/14, effective 11/19/14; ARC 3749C, IAB 4/11/18, effective 5/16/18; ARC 5308C, IAB 12/2/20, effective 1/6/21; Editorial change: IAC Supplement 11/2/22; Editorial change: IAC Supplement 10/18/23]