IRS to Grant Greater Tax Equity to Gay Couples

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Posted on www.365gay.com
By Shamecca Harris

LGBT advocacy group, Equality California (EQCA) released a statement Wednesday praising the new IRS policy granting greater tax equity to same-sex couples. The new policy calls for federal recognition of California's property rights for committed same-sex couples first introduced under the  Domestic Partners Rights and Responsibilities Act of 2003, which EQCA sponsored.

The legislation mandates that couples in registered domestic partnerships "combine their incomes and report half on their individual tax returns."

Couples will also be given the opportunity to amend past returns - a measure that could grant refunds to thousands of Californians who have paid discriminatory taxes in the past.

"We welcome news of this policy change that will result in significant savings for many same-sex couples, which is especially important at a time when many are struggling in a brutal economy," said Geoff Kors, Equality California's Executive Director.

While the organization commended the new policy, Kors noted that there is still more to be done.

"Although the federal government has taken an important step forward in recognizing the relationships of same-sex couples, Equality California will continue fighting for full equality so that couples no longer face a complex, arbitrary system born out of denying lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Californians complete equality under the law," he said.

The regulation is set to affect over 58,000 California couples in domestic partnerships.

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