What Is IRS Form 8839: Qualified Adoption Expenses?
If you adopted an eligible child, you can use Form 8839 to calculate your qualified adoption expenses and figure out how much you can deduct on your taxes. You can claim both the exclusion and the credit if you adopt an eligible child. Learn more about qualified adoption expenses and eligibility requirements for claiming this credit.
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Key Takeaways
- If you paid qualified adoption expenses to adopt a child, you may be eligible for the adoption tax credit up to a maximum of $17,280 per child for tax year 2025.
- The adoption tax credit can reduce your tax liability, and beginning with the 2025 tax year, up to $5,000 of the credit is refundable if the amount of the credit exceeds your tax liability.
- If the entire credit is not used in the current tax year, the remaining amount can be carried forward for up to five years.
- For 2025, the adoption tax credit begins to phase out when your modified adjusted gross income exceeds $259,190 and goes away completely when it exceeds $299,190.
Credit for an adoption
If you’ve adopted a child (or attempted to), you know it can be very expensive. The good news is the tax laws allow you to offset your tax bill with a credit for your qualified adoption expenses, as long as you meet certain eligibility requirements. To report your qualified adoption expenses, you’ll use IRS Form 8839.
Who is eligible for the adoption credit?
If you paid qualified adoption expenses to adopt a child who is a U.S. resident or citizen, then you may be eligible for the credit, even if the adoption hasn’t been finalized or was finalized in a different tax year. You may also qualify for the credit if you paid expenses to adopt a foreign child. Additionally, there are separate rules to claim the credit on Form 8839 if you adopt a child with special needs.
How much is the adoption credit?
For 2025 the maximum credit is $17,280 per child ($17,670 for 2026). However, if your income is above a certain amount, your credit goes down. For tax year 2025, if your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is less than $259,190 ($265,080 for 2026), you can qualify for the full credit. But the credit is gradually phased out if your Magi is over that amount. The credit goes away completely when your MAGI exceeds $299,190 ($305,080 for 2026).
In addition, with the passage of the "One Big Beautiful Bill" in July of 2025 (also known as the Working Families Tax Cut), the adoption tax credit is partially refundable beginning with the 2025 tax year (it was a previously a nonrefundable credit). For 2025, up to $5,000 of the adoption tax credit is refundable (up to $5,120 for 2026). This means that if your 2025 credit is more than your tax bill, you can get a refund of up to $5,000 after filing your tax return. Any amount in excess of this amount can be carried forward for up to five years and used against future tax liabilities.
TurboTax Tip:
Qualified adoption expenses include fees you pay to an adoption agency, legal fees you pay to an attorney, court costs you incur, and may include travel expenses, including the cost of food and hotels when traveling away from home.
Qualified adoption expenses
Before you begin filling out Form 8839 with your qualified adoption expenses, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the types of expenses the IRS considers qualified. Qualified adoption expenses include:
- the fees you pay to an adoption agency that facilitates the process
- legal fees you pay to an attorney
- court costs you incur and re-adoption expenses that relate to the adoption of a foreign child
You may also include the necessary travel expenses you incur, including the cost of food and hotels when traveling away from home. Keep in mind, however, that you may not include amounts your employer reimburses, fees you pay to a surrogate mother, or any expenses that relate to the adoption of your spouse’s child.
Form 8839 reporting
Once you calculate your qualified adoption expenses, you enter information about the adopted children in Part I, calculate the amount of the adoption credit in Part II, and enter information about any employer-provided adoption benefits in Part III.
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