Social Security has published new instructions that allow the agency to process more claims in which entitlement or eligibility is affected by a same-sex relationship. These instructions come in response to last year’s Supreme Court decision in U.S. vs. Windsor, which found Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional. This latest policy development lets…
WASHINGTON — After close consultation with the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is providing guidance to same-sex married couples on the benefits and services to which they are entitled under current laws and regulations. “VA worked closely with DOJ to develop guidance to process cases involving same-sex marriages and to…
Social Security has published new instructions that allow the agency to process some Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims by individuals who are in a same-sex marriage. These instructions come in response to last year’s Supreme Court decision in U.S. v. Windsor which found Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional. SSI is a program…
From the U.S. Department of the Treasury: The Supreme Court’s decision in U.S. v. Windsor last June, invalidating a key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act, has given rise to crucial protections to same-sex married couples nationwide. In August, Treasury and IRS helped to clarify the federal tax implications of Windsor by determining that…
The Supreme Court struck down the portion of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that denied federal benefits to married same-sex couples. This has dramatically changed the emotional and financial lives of the thousands of gay and lesbian married couples around the country. Let’s go through just of few of changes, now that we live…
OTTOWA – Canada’s 2011 Census of Population has shown that the number of same-sex couples has continued to increase. Same-sex marriage was legalized in Canada in July 2005. Between 2006 and 2011, the number of same-sex married couples nearly tripled (+181.5 percent), according to the Census. However, officials have now realized that many of the…
A new study at CNN Money reveals that couples in same-sex marriages lose nearly $6,000 a year in federal tax benefits since the federal government does not legally recognize their union. While same-sex spouses are entitled to some state benefits, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) prevents those married legally in their states to file…
