We cannot allow our community to be erased,” said
Amy Balliett, co-founder of Join the Impact. “Tax season is yet another time where
same-sex couples are reminded that despite abiding by the requirements of American citizenship by paying our taxes, we are still are treated as second class citizens.”

I don’t know about you but what a relief to have the taxes done for another year!  I hear more than usual procrastinated this year.  I’m sure there is the usual percentage of those who put it off, but, this year, many avoided doing their taxes because it was hard looking ‘long and hard’ at the reality of the losses that happened this past year, on multiple levels.

Well, there is another big loss, that has been happening forever, at least on the federal level (and in most states), and that is the lack of tax and inheritance protections for same sex couples, protections straight married couples take for granted.  Protections some straight couples want to withhold from gay couples.

I came across a great article on Echelon Magazine that talks about the issue, how much more clearly and boldly gay activists are telling this story, that must be told, and points to the congressional study that showed NOT granting same sex couples tax and inheritance rights is much more expensive to our government and society as a whole.

Click here for the article.

And, btw, congratulations to my home state of Maryland, who is moving to pass a law giving same sex couples tax and inheritance protections, on a state level.  The only step remaining is for Governor O’Malley to sign the bill, which he has already indicated he will.  Click here for more information.  Wahoo!

Coming across my desk today are two worth-mentioning posts on the all-so-important practical aspects of living and loving – relationship agreements and estate and tax planning.  As lesbian couples become more celebratory of their relationships, they will hunger for this sort of information.  I, as always, am ‘thinking ahead’ for you!

Be sure to check both of these resources out BEFORE you check your Myspace, Facebook pages or post on Twitter today:

• Estate and Tax Planning for LGBT’s – great information, just in time for tax season!  Thanks to my colleagues over at the Lesbian Dating and Relationships blog for the heads up.

• Jaysays interview of Merle Horowitz’s book on ‘cohabitation agreements’.  Thanks to my bud Genia Stevens over at gaywallet.com for this information.

Eat these up!  Your relationship (or next relationship) depends on getting a handle on subjects such as these!   As Jaysays post title sums all of this up perfectly:  “Love is Love, but business is business.”  Whether you accept it or not, and whether you ever get married or legalize your relationship in some way or not, when you join your life with another person, business IS part of your relationship.  Mark my words.

Traditionally, women didn’t often handle the ‘money’ and ‘decision making’ aspects of their love relationships and most of us, as women, still have that ‘limiting belief’ floating around in our subconsciousnesses.  Someone, some may argue it was men, blinded our ancestral sisters to the practical aspects of our love relationships with romantic, ‘happily ever after’ fantasies.

We still believe some of these things, but, we need to stop having our heads in the clouds when it comes to money and love.  We CAN ‘live happily ever after’, however, it takes some planning…

Barb Elgin