Questions & Answers

You can claim a credit if you finalized the adoption of an eligible child in 2021 and the adoption qualified for the federal adoption credit. An eligible child is:

• any child under age 18, or
• any disabled person physically or mentally unable to take care of himself or herself.

The amount of the credit is $1,000 per child. If the amount of the credit exceeds your tax liability for 2021, you can carry forward the unused credit to the next five tax years. Also, the legal adoption of a stepchild does not qualify for the federal or Montana credit. Include a copy of federal Form 8839 for the year of your adoption with your tax return.