7 Days 'til Tax Day: Which boxes can YOU check?

Please see corrected contact info below.

As Americans from coast to coast rush to meet the upcoming April 16th deadline to file their 2006 tax returns, same-sex couples and their families – as well as their employers and tax preparers – face an unfair hurdle placed in front of them by the government.

Excluding same-sex couples from marriage means increased tax burdens for people who are trying to live their lives and do the right thing, including pay their taxes.

Let’s spread the word about the reality of discrimination in households across the country, and further the conversation about why marriage matters…

Did you know...

• There are 1,138 federal protections, rights, and benefits; hundreds of state and local-level protections; and employer benefits provided through marriage from which same sex couples are currently excluded.

• When it comes to taxes, same-sex committed couples will always pay more, but get less because of discrimination in marriage. Married couples can file taxes jointly and be taxed at a lower level, but same-sex couples cannot file taxes jointly and get lower taxes because they are excluded from marriage; same-sex couples also lose out on the ability to collect each other’s social security, receive automatic inheritance rights, or transfer property without being taxed because of marriage discrimination.

Get Active! Get Engaged!

Now what should you do with this information? How can you help? When you are talking about filing taxes this week, talk about these inequalities. And keep talking...

Talk to your neighbors. Tell your own story. Educate yourself. Contact your elected representatives. Get to know your local and statewide political advocacy organizations. Contact the leaders of groups of which you are a member. Write a newspaper, magazine, TV station, radio station or other media outlet. Create a visibility event. Host or sponsor a house party. Host or sponsor a family picnic. Ask someone you know — or everyone you know — to get engaged in this movement. Talk to your religious leaders about how to engage your faith community.

Who can you call to get answers to your specific tax-related questions?

Individuals, couples and families seeking tax advice should contact a personal tax preparer, accountant, or attorney.

If you are a reporter or an attorney with questions about tax time and marriage equality, contact Lambda Legal.

For a full list of the protections denied same sex couples and their kids, see "Appendix B" of Evan Wolfson's book, Why Marriage Matters: America, Equality & Gay People's Right to Marry.

For more information on Why Marriage Matters at Tax Time, or any other time, log on to our website at www.freedomtomarry.org.