Instructions for Form 8839 Qualified Adoption Expenses
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Userid: CPM Schema: instrx Leadpct: 100% Pt. size: 9 Draft Ok to Print AH XSL/XML Fileid: … ions/I8839/2020/A/XML/Cycle04/source (Init. & Date) _______ Page 1 of 8 9:56 - 18-Nov-2020 The type and rule above prints on all proofs including departmental reproduction proofs. MUST be removed before printing. Department of the Treasury 2020 Internal Revenue Service Instructions for Form 8839 Qualified Adoption Expenses Section references are to the Internal Revenue Code unless able to exclude these benefits from income if your employer had otherwise noted. a written qualified adoption assistance program (see Employer-Provided Adoption Benefits, later) and any of the What's New following statements are true. 1. You received employer-provided adoption benefits in 2020 maximum credit. The maximum credit and the exclusion 2020. However, special rules apply for benefits received in for employer-provided benefits are both $14,300 per eligible connection with the adoption of an eligible foreign child. See child in 2020. This amount begins to phase out if you have Column (e), later. modified adjusted gross income in excess of $214,520 and is 2. You adopted an eligible U.S. child with special needs and completely phased out for modified adjusted gross income of the adoption became final in 2020. $254,520 or more. 3. You received employer-provided adoption benefits in Future Developments connection with the adoption of an eligible foreign child in: a. 2020 or prior years and the adoption became final in For the latest information about developments related to Form 2020, or 8839 and its instructions, such as legislation enacted after they b. 2020 and the adoption became final before 2020. are published, go to IRS.gov/Form8839. See Column (e), later. For purposes of calculating the adoption credit in Part II, General Instructions qualified adoption expenses don't include expenses reimbursed by an employer under a written qualified adoption assistance Purpose of Form program (see Employer-Provided Adoption Benefits). For this Use Form 8839 to figure your adoption credit and any reason, you must complete Form 8839, Part III, before you can employer-provided adoption benefits you can exclude from your figure the credit, if any, in Part II. But see Child with special income. You can claim both the exclusion and the credit for needs. expenses of adopting an eligible child. For example, depending You can't exclude employer-provided adoption benefits on the cost of the adoption, you may be able to exclude up to ! if your employer is an S corporation in which you own $14,300 from your income and also be able to claim a credit of CAUTION more than 2% of the stock or stock with more than 2% of up to $14,300. But, you can't claim both a credit and exclusion the voting power. for the same expenses. See Qualified Adoption Expenses and Employer-Provided Adoption Benefits, later. Income limit. The income limit on the adoption credit or exclusion is based on modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). Adoption credit. Use Form 8839, Part II, to figure the adoption For 2020, use the following table to see if the income limit will credit you can take on Schedule 3 (Form 1040), line 6. Check affect your credit or exclusion. box c on that line and enter “8839” in the space next to box c. You may be able to take this credit in 2020 if any of the following statements are true. IF your MAGI is... THEN the income limit... 1. You paid qualified adoption expenses in connection with $214,520 or less won't affect your credit or exclusion. the adoption of an eligible U.S. child (including any expenses between $214,521 and $254,519 will reduce your credit or exclusion. paid in connection with adopting an eligible U.S. child with special needs) in: $254,520 or more will eliminate your credit or exclusion. a. 2019 and the adoption wasn't final at the end of 2019, or b. 2020 and the adoption became final in or before 2020. 2. You adopted an eligible U.S. child with special needs and Definitions the adoption became final in 2020. (In this case, you may be able to take the credit even if you didn't pay any qualified Eligible Child adoption expenses.) An eligible child is: 3. You paid qualified adoption expenses in connection with • Any child under age 18. If the child turned 18 during the year, the adoption of an eligible foreign child in: the child is an eligible child for the part of the year he or she was under age 18. a. 2020 or prior years and the adoption became final in Any disabled individual physically or mentally unable to take 2020, or • care of himself or herself. b. 2020 and the adoption became final before 2020. See Column (e), later. If you and another person (other than your spouse if filing jointly) adopted or tried to adopt an eligible U.S. 4. You have a carryforward of an adoption credit from 2019. child, see Line 2 (or Line 17, if applicable), before Income exclusion for employer-provided adoption bene- completing Part II (or Part III). fits. Use Form 8839, Part III, to figure the employer-provided adoption benefits you can exclude from your income on Form 1040 or 1040-SR, line 1, or Form 1040-NR, line 1a. You may be Nov 18, 2020 Cat. No. 23077T Page 2 of 8 Fileid: … ions/I8839/2020/A/XML/Cycle04/source 9:56 - 18-Nov-2020 The type and rule above prints on all proofs including departmental reproduction proofs. MUST be removed before printing. Qualified Adoption Expenses employer's reimbursement of the legal fees in Example 2 ($8,000 exclusion and $12,000 credit). Qualified adoption expenses are reasonable and necessary expenses directly related to, and for the principal purpose of, the Example 4. Paul paid $30,000 in qualified adoption legal adoption of an eligible child. expenses to adopt an eligible foreign child, and the adoption became final in 2020. Under a qualified adoption assistance Qualified adoption expenses include: program, Paul's employer reimbursed him for $14,300 of those • Adoption fees, expenses. Paul may exclude the $14,300 reimbursement from • Attorney fees, his income. The remaining $15,700 of expenses ($30,000 - • Court costs, $14,300) continue to be qualified adoption expenses that are • Travel expenses (including meals and lodging) while away eligible for the credit. However, Paul's credit is dollar-limited to from home, and $14,300. The remaining $1,400 ($30,000 - $14,300 - $14,300) • Re-adoption expenses relating to the adoption of a foreign may never be claimed as a credit or excluded from gross child. income. Qualified adoption expenses don't include expenses: • For which you received funds under any state, local, or Who Can Take the Adoption Credit or federal program; Exclude Employer-Provided Adoption • That violate state or federal law; • For carrying out a surrogate parenting arrangement; Benefits? • For the adoption of your spouse's child; You may be able to take the credit or exclusion if all three of the • Reimbursed by your employer or otherwise; or following statements are true. • Allowed as a credit or deduction under any other provision of 1. Your filing status is single, head of household, qualifying federal income tax law. widow(er), or married filing jointly. Generally, if you are married, you must file a joint return to take the credit or exclusion. Employer-Provided Adoption Benefits However, if you are married and aren't filing jointly, you may be In most cases, employer-provided adoption benefits are able to take the credit or exclusion on your own return if you are amounts your employer paid directly to either you or a third party considered unmarried because you are legally separated or for qualified adoption expenses under a qualified adoption living apart from your spouse and you meet certain other assistance program. But see Child with special needs. requirements. See Married Persons Not Filing Jointly. A qualified adoption assistance program is a separate written 2. Your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is less than plan set up by an employer to provide adoption assistance to its $254,520 or you have a carryforward of an adoption credit from employees. For more details, see Pub. 15-B. 2019. To figure your MAGI, see Line 7 (for the credit) or Line 23 (for the exclusion). Employer-provided adoption benefits should be shown in 3. You report the required information about the eligible box 12 of your Form(s) W-2 with code T. Your salary may have child in Part l. been reduced to pay these benefits. You may also be able to exclude amounts not shown in box 12 of your Form W-2 if all of Married Persons Not Filing Jointly the following apply. • You adopted a child with special needs. See Column (d) for You may be able to take the credit or exclusion if all of the the definition of a child with special needs. following apply. • The adoption became final in 2020. • Statements (2) and (3) under Who Can Take the Adoption • Your employer had a written qualified adoption assistance Credit or Exclude Employer-Provided Adoption Benefits are true. program as described earlier. • You lived apart from your spouse during the last 6 months of 2020. The following examples help illustrate how qualified adoption • The eligible child lived in your home more than half of 2020. expenses and employer-provided adoption benefits apply to the • You provided over half the cost of keeping up your home.