BREAKING: Obama Administration Will Grant Benefits To Married Gay Couples In Utah

[Capt. Obvious]

Source: Talking Points Memo

The Obama administration will grant federal marriage benefits to the roughly 1,000 gay couples in Utah who got married during the brief window recently when it was legal.

"I am confirming today that, for purposes of federal law, these marriages will be recognized as lawful and considered eligible for all relevant federal benefits on the same terms as other same-sex marriages," Attorney General Eric Holder said in a video message which was shared with TPM. "These families should not be asked to endure uncertainty regarding their status as the litigation unfolds."

Days after a district court judge legalized same-sex marriage in the state, the Supreme Court halted the ruling while the courts weigh the issue on the merits. In the interim, many gay couples in Utah got married.

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/eric-holder-utah-marriage

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Yay!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Meanwhile, from the private sector:

I got my year-end summary yesterday from {a firm that sells mutual funds, which will remain unidentified here, except that it's the one to which I link}. Here's what they said about DOMA:

What ruling on same-sex marriage means for retirement accounts
https://personal.vanguard.com/us/insights/article/marriage-doma-092013

September 12, 2013

This summer's U.S. Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage means that many couples will soon qualify for certain favorable IRA and retirement plan provisions that were previously available only to opposite-sex spouses.

According to new guidance from the Treasury Department and the IRS, rules set to take effect September 16 specify that same-sex couples who marry within jurisdictions that recognize their marriages will be treated as married for federal tax and retirement plan purposes, regardless of how the jurisdiction where they live treats same-sex marriage. For example, if a gay couple residing in Virginia (which does not recognize same-sex marriage) travels to neighboring Maryland (which does) to tie the knot, their marriage would be recognized under federal retirement guidelines.
....

The Treasury Department and the IRS said that any same-sex marriage legally entered into in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, a U.S. territory, or a foreign country will be recognized for federal tax purposes and by retirement plans. Under the ruling, registered domestic partnerships, civil unions, or similar relationships recognized under state law will not receive new spousal rights.

"This means that the state of celebration, not the state of domicile, controls whether a same-sex couple's marriage will be recognized under federal tax laws," {Jamey Delaplane, head of Vanguard ERISA and Fiduciary Services} said. "This outcome will assist same-sex couples with their financial and retirement planning and avoid the situation where access to federal spousal rules would turn on a couple's current state of residence."

[iandhr]

2. Another small step for progress.

[Iliyah]

3. I swear

that Obama Adm. is a total dictatorship! How dare them give those sub-humans benefits! They are Gawd's abomination just like those lazy Negros and job grabbing brown people. sarcasm

Thank you Pres O!

[tomm2thumbs]

4. WONDERFUL ! ! ! !

[uppityperson]

5. Hot damn, a step closer to making it national. On the other hand why the HELL isn't it?

[msanthrope]

6. Excellent.....nt