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Gay couples pay higher taxes



  3. uroborus8
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Tax day is just another reminder that being gay in the United States means being treated differently under the law. While a partnered couple may live in one house, the federal government will see two homes, thereby taxing the couple at a higher rate.

For example, "One is the tax rate. Take two couples where one partner has a taxable income of $20,000 and the other makes $40,000. If they can file their federal taxes jointly, the tax bill would be $8,217.50. Filing separately, the combined bill would be $9,032.50 -- more than $800 higher."

Health Insurance issues pose another unfair financial burden. Heterosexual married couples do not have to claim their spouse's health insurance as income if they use their spouse's plan. If a gay or lesbian signs up under their partner's plan, they have to pay income tax based on the value of the insurance.

"For example, Dan Jessup is a project manager at JPMorgan Chase in Indiana. His partner, Bob Chenoweth, is self-employed, running two businesses out of the couple's Mooresville, Indiana, home. So Chenoweth gets health insurance through Chase.

But Jessup is required to count the company's cost of his partner's benefits as additional income for tax purposes.

State and federal taxes on those benefits cost about $1,800 per year, Jessup said."

So to be clear, gay and lesbian Americans pay more taxes, yet are treated as second class citizens. God Bless America and happy tax day!
uroborus8

22 responses // Gay couples pay higher taxes

  • You are being too kind, gays and lesbians are treated as third class citizens at best.

    "I speak the password primeval, I give the sign of democracy,
    By God! I will accept nothing which all cannot have their counterpart of on the same terms."

    What Whitman wrote then is never more true now, equal rights for all, no exceptions.
    rabidlemur
  • Agreed! I think it’s ridiculous...everyone should have the same rights! It should not matter whether or not couples are of the same sex or of the opposite sex.

    This just pisses me off. Way to be closed minded America! Open your eyes and hearts.
    colorfulme
  • very true, its so wrong!
    aharvath
  • This is a straight up case of PEOPLE ARE NOT EQUAL UNDER THE LAW IN AMERICA!
    nwillens
  • nwillens, its the same throughout the globe. i love how everyone jumps on the hate america bandwagon anytime something comes up in the news. this is something we've known about for years. its the only real reason homosexuals are mainly want to get married. give them the tax break as civil unions and boom, problem solved.
    diode
  • we're just setting up a new fudal society with gays as peasants.
    Da_Cod
  • Gays will probably be the in the majority when the rapture comes and the apocalypse. According to many of my Christian friends; that should happen any day now.

    Once all the wackos have been evacuated from earth, then we can get down to living in equality.


    **************************

    (this is meant as a satirical jab, i don't seriously believe in either the rapture or the apocalypse, at least not one orchestrated by God herself)
    jubal
  • watch this comment being used here, here, here and here
    The problem is that if they allow anyone living together to file together to pay less taxes they'll have a flood of illegitimate claims from roommates.

    We either need to fix taxes altogether, or allow gay marriages. If gays were allowed to marry it wouldn't be an issue.
    willyb
  • The government needs to get out of the marriage business altogether. They should give marriage back to the religions. From the perspective of the government, it should be about rights and contracts between individuals who decide to live together. Call it what you want, domestic partnerships, civil unions, blah blah blah.

    Everybody should be equal under the laws of the land.

    Let those who want "HOLY MATRIMONY" to go to their church, synagogue, or temple and get that blessing and designation.
    jubal
  • Equal Rights For ALL! Stop Discriminating Against People!
    Future_America
  • This makes me sick to my stomach to know that people are being treated unequally. I feel ashamed to be an American.
    guntown_kid82
  • You should only be ashamed if you agree with them. Don't fall prey to that 'let's demonize being american' crap. If you diagree, then change it. You should be proud to be American because you can think what you want.

    It bothers me that it is 'cool' to say such things. If you truly believe that you should be packing your things and moving to another country.
    willyb
  • amen to willy. i fully support that statement. i've noticed the piss on america trend wayyy too common here. you people think we have it bad here in america? go live somewhere else and when you come back, i'll be waiting to say i told you so. there are very few places on this earth i'd rather be living than here
    diode
  • *gasp* A minority class of people being treated UNFAIRLY in America? Really? Ha, but seriously, this is not news. America has been grinding people down who don't fit a specific profile for decades. And I don't agree with people who say we shouldn't be ashamed to be an American. No doubt, I will never deny the fact I am one, cause this is my home, but the reality is that we have committed multiple shameful acts upon multiple countries. This blanket nationalism is not the answer, nor is argument if you don't like it get out. Instead of lambasting someone for being honest, let's talk about the legitimate reasons they may have for feeling and and how WE can come up with a solution. I think it's ok to feel shame towards some of the things we have done as a country, because we as citizens reap the benefits. I think it is high time we look for reasons to pull together as Americans, instead of looking for small reasons to keep us apart...
    AreOh
  • If you want to feel guilty for something you didn't do, be my guest. I'm sure not going to. I'm cool with gay folks.

    The government changes as people change. Once enough people agree gays need equal rights, then most likely we'll see the government start to reflect this. I am not going to apologize because the US laws reflect the way a majority of people think, or that we're currently in that 'catch-up' phase where there is disparity between the two. There is usually discomfort with change.

    I
    willyb
  • It's interesting that you felt the need to mention you are cool with 'gay folks', because I don't think that's an issue. And honestly, I think it is a rather simplistic view of government, especially in the United States. There are many factors as to why laws get made (corporate interests, national security, etc) that having nothing at all to do with public opinion. What does guaranteeing rights for people have to do with the way of the the majority think? Last I checked our constitution ensures rights, well supposedly, for all, not the cool kids that our majority deems worthy. And I'm not going to apologize either, homie. I'm going to use these feelings that more than a few have to bring us together to work towards a common goal. Pity isn't going to help anyone, you know?
    AreOh
  • http://current.com/items/88893638_the_hours_uncivil_dis...
    Check out this recent vc2 upload about a lesbain couple that's moving to New Zealand because one of the women couldn't get US citizenship.
    bstein
  • This is screwed up. I hope that some day this country will be a true democracy...When my partner tried to get insurance with my plan, we were fined because we are domestic partners. It turned out to be cheaper to just get our own separate plans.
    noborders_nonations
  • that is so lame. just for the hellabet, maybe the government should tax me the same amount that they tax gay couples, just cuz i wanna pay that much. screw the government and make them pay taxes like the rest of us have to. maybe the government should have to pay like 10 times the amount that we have to.
    music_my_antidrug
  • In my opinion, gay marriage is an issue that should no longer be relevant because in a world where one can change one's gender through surgery and hormones what does "same sex marriage" mean.

    If two people love one another and want to call each other "my spouse" or "my husband" or "my wife" they should legally be allowed to do so.

    If marriage is a matter for the church then the government should eliminate marriage licenses and issue only civil union licenses.

    Consequently, the IRS forms should read "civilly united" filing jointly or separately.
    TheRedOne
  • this is ridiculous, it's not okay to essentially be "charging" money for those whose chose a sexual orientation that's only becoming more and more common and openly accepted by society
    wearehumanity
  • They are not being charged extra money, they are not being rewarded for their refusal to acknowledge laws. They are welcome to straighten out and marry someone of the opposite sex anytime they are ready, just like EVERY other American citizen.
    Liberal_Extinction

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