Saturday, July 11, 2009

Money & Business

Alpha Consumer by Kimberly Palmer

Gay Couples Face Extra Financial Challenges

April 08, 2008 02:21 PM ET | Kimberly Palmer | Permanent Link | Print

It may pay to get married, but not everyone has that option. The Human Rights Campaign, a civil rights organization for people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered, launched a campaign this week to bring attention to the financial challenges that same-sex couples are forced to deal with. The group points out that gay and lesbian couples lack the protection and benefits conferred by over 1,000 different federal provisions.

Among the disadvantages that gay couples face compared with legally married ones:

  • Unmarried couples often cannot include each other on employer-based health plans without paying tax penalties.
  • They often lack job protection when taking time off to care for their partner.
  • They can not give Social Security survivor benefits to their partner.

The campaign offers more information and tips for dealing with such challenges.

Tags: civil rights | marriage

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Reader Comments

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Дизайн у Вас интересный, я вот тоже для блога искал - стала прикручивать, а все посты куда то делись. Эээх... буду писать заново

special rights.. not even close

Many gay couples have more love than any straight couple could ever have. They are getting a right in their life taken away based on only their sexual orietation. They need the benefits as well as any straight person. This is supposed to be a free country correct? Then why is it so hard to be free to be with who you would like, even if it means someone of the same sex. I myself am interested in the same sex. I have a more amazing relationship than I ever had with any guy. I should be allowed to get the benifits, but because of people like you, I have to work twice as hard for them, only because I am gay. Think about it.

Special Rights vs. Equal Rights

It is silly to say, "Gay people have the same right to marry someone of the opposite sex as anyone else." and then call that "equal rights." Here's the kicker: Straight people have the right to enjoy legal, financial and social privileges and responsibilities when they marry the one they LOVE. Gay people do not. THAT is the point. Marriage, unlike your baptism, first communion, bar mitzvah, and other non-secular rites of passage, really does cross over into significant change in legal status. Further, people can achieve the legal status of marriage without being affiliated with any religion. So the idea that "marriage" remains a PURELY religious institution, is untrue. As a legal institution, it must be applied equally. If you don't want Gay people to "get married" then abolish (equalize) all the state and federal socio-economic benefits of marriage, (see above), and be content to celebrate its value within your circle of family and friends, restricting its meaning and importance to remain well within the cloister of your church, synagogue, temple or mosque.

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Kimberly Palmer, senior editor for U.S. News & World Report, writes about how to save money, avoid scams, manage debt, and be a savvy shopper. Share with her your own money issues by sending questions to alphaconsumer@usnews.com.

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