A "gay tax"?

A "gay tax"? Hard to believe, but it's true.

When same-sex couples join other Americans in filing their tax returns today, they'll feel the economic sting of marriage discrimination. Because of the exclusion from marriage, same-sex couples will pay more in taxes than different-sex couples. In many cases, they'll pay tens of thousands of dollars more over their lifetimes.

That's why we're taking action this Tax Day.

Join Freedom to Marry in petitioning House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to demand an end to the "gay tax" and a repeal of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

http://freedomtomarry.org/taxday

Tax season brings a stark reminder of what DOMA costs same-sex couples and their families. Loving and committed couples are denied the opportunity to file taxes jointly and are penalized for supporting one another, while at the same time they pay higher costs for health insurance and are deprived of Social Security coverage they've earned.

Research from 2009 shows that compared to heterosexual couples, same-sex partners pay up to $211,993 more for health coverage, $88,511 in additional Social Security costs, and $40,000 extra in child-care costs.[1]

And, as The New York Times put it, "Nearly all the extra costs that gay couples face would be erased if the federal government legalized same-sex marriage."

It's up to us, Terrence, to stand up for what's right. Sign Freedom to Marry's petition and demand that the Congressional leadership put an end to the "gay tax" by repealing DOMA.

http://freedomtomarry.org/taxday

Thanks for all you do,

Michael Crawford
New Media Director, Freedom to Marry

P.S. Please forward this email to everyone you know to help grow our movement to end marriage discrimination.

[1] "The High Price of Being a Gay Couple," The New York Times. October 2, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/03/your-money/03money.html

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