Gay Marriage In Connecticut: Hazardous To Your Wealth?

You're gay. You live in Connecticut. You want to marry.

The question is, will you be treated financially in the same manner as heterosexual couples? The answer is yes and no.

The Connecticut Supreme Court recognized gay marriage in 2008 and the legislature codified it. Essentially, this made the state's laws on marriage and divorce gender and orientation neutral.

But the word 'essentially' is where the rub lies. Because the federal government and some states don't recognize same sex marriages, these couples face a number of challenges impacting the transfer of wealth upon marriage, divorce or death. Over 1,000 federal laws take marital status into account, often with negative consequences.

For example, on the federal level, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) prevents. Same sex couples from:

• Filing joint tax returns;
• Obtaining Social Security Survivor benefits;
• Taking advantage of spousal transfer exemptions for estate planning purposes.

Take the example of the gay couple in Massachusetts who had been together for sixty years. They were officially married in 2004 shortly after it became legal to do so in Massachusetts. When one spouse died in 2008, the surviving spouse was blocked from receiving social security survivor benefits because the marriage, although recognized under state law, was not recognized under DOMA. While the monthly benefit amounted to only $700 per month, multiplied over the rest of the surviving spouses' lifetime it could have easily been worth $100,000.

And there are other complications. Case in point, getting married in Connecticut does not necessarily confer jurisdiction to be divorced in Connecticut. If a same sex couple travels to Connecticut to marry from a home state that does not recognize gay marriage - they may not be able to get divorced in their home state. The non-recognition of their marriage in their home state means they will not be able to take advantage of that state's divorce laws when dividing their financial assets, even if those terms are advantageous.

The Obama administration's recent decision not to defend DOMA in court will have little day-to-day impact for married gay couples. However, while those challenging DOMA in court - a costly and long process - may not face opposition from Obama Administration lawyers, they may suffer from the adverse consequences at the state level. Furthermore, federal agencies must still follow and enforce DOMA until such time it is overturned or repealed. Finally, the Obama administration's decision has no effect on state laws in states where gay marriage is not recognized.

Fortunately, most of the unfavorable aspects of non-recognition can be defeated through a well drafted pre-nuptial agreement. For example, a same sex couple can, in the event of a divorce, agree to submit themselves to the jurisdiction of Connecticut courts (and require physical relocation if necessary) in the event that they have relocated to a non-recognition state since becoming married.

View the original article here

Do Gay Couples Need Marriage Counseling Too?

Love is the most wonderful feeling in the world. It lights up your soul and makes everything look perfect.

On the flip-side, love also hurts. A lot. It can be magical but it can also be unbearably hard. Even if you are already in committed relationship and don't need to worry if your love is reciprocated, there are so many circumstances and obstacles that can make your life together a living hell. If you are in a same sex relationship, the same rules apply, of course, but, unfortunately, you have the added pressure from a still very prejudiced society to deal with.

Marriage is supposed to be a very wanted and cherished bond between two people that love each other unconditionally. In the moment you tie the knot, Love is there, and you know you are changing your life a great deal. You'll be sharing the same space and material possessions, trying to fit in each others' circle of family and friends and dividing responsibilities and decisions for the rest of your lives, among other things. This is nothing like dating is it? It's about working each day with your spouse in a loving, tolerant and compromising way. The thing is sometimes you are both challenged with situations that are just too overwhelming. Too much pain or too many bad memories are involved. When you get to the point when your relationship is on a self destructive spiral, you need to figure out if your problems can be resolved or if it's actually the end of the road. If you are not ready to quit and are determined to fight for your relationship, by all means, you should look for outside help.

Counseling is one of the tools you have available to heal your shattered relationship. First of all, you must find a therapist. Not just anyone, but someone with which you can relate to and feel comfortable with and arrange a way to have a session a week, for example. This is a determinant step in the right direction. You'll be:

On unbiased ground: you'll know the therapist is not there to take sides, instead he will hear you both and try to work out your differences;

Taking advantage of a professional and objective perspective: you're both too involved in the problem to look at it properly - the therapist will do that for you, giving you a clearer, more objective view of things;

Releasing your negative vibes: you'll be able to vent your feelings and frustrations in a friendly environment, without fear;

Analyzing your reactions: you'll discover what triggers your anger and other hurtful feelings towards each other;

Learning how to deal with negative and stressful situations;

Setting goals regarding what you need to accomplish and to work on;

Doing homework to complement each session;

Working with a qualified, understanding person on making your marriage/partnership stronger.

It's also very important that you try to focus in resolving the issues at hand and don't get fixated on past mistakes. You need to forgive yourself and your partner in order to go forward. Remember: you want to heal the wounds and not scratch them open. You love this person and he/she loves you. That is the most important requirement needed for a life together. You're one of the lucky ones if you have true love in your life.

Visit a friendly LGBT Church Los Angeles. The Good Shepherd Church in Pasadena offers support and assistance to the LGBT community. More than a gay church Los Angeles - it's a church for everyone.

View the original article here

Do Gay Couples Need Marriage Counseling Too?

Love is the most wonderful feeling in the world. It lights up your soul and makes everything look perfect.

On the flip-side, love also hurts. A lot. It can be magical but it can also be unbearably hard. Even if you are already in committed relationship and don't need to worry if your love is reciprocated, there are so many circumstances and obstacles that can make your life together a living hell. If you are in a same sex relationship, the same rules apply, of course, but, unfortunately, you have the added pressure from a still very prejudiced society to deal with.

Marriage is supposed to be a very wanted and cherished bond between two people that love each other unconditionally. In the moment you tie the knot, Love is there, and you know you are changing your life a great deal. You'll be sharing the same space and material possessions, trying to fit in each others' circle of family and friends and dividing responsibilities and decisions for the rest of your lives, among other things. This is nothing like dating is it? It's about working each day with your spouse in a loving, tolerant and compromising way. The thing is sometimes you are both challenged with situations that are just too overwhelming. Too much pain or too many bad memories are involved. When you get to the point when your relationship is on a self destructive spiral, you need to figure out if your problems can be resolved or if it's actually the end of the road. If you are not ready to quit and are determined to fight for your relationship, by all means, you should look for outside help.

Counseling is one of the tools you have available to heal your shattered relationship. First of all, you must find a therapist. Not just anyone, but someone with which you can relate to and feel comfortable with and arrange a way to have a session a week, for example. This is a determinant step in the right direction. You'll be:

On unbiased ground: you'll know the therapist is not there to take sides, instead he will hear you both and try to work out your differences;

Taking advantage of a professional and objective perspective: you're both too involved in the problem to look at it properly - the therapist will do that for you, giving you a clearer, more objective view of things;

Releasing your negative vibes: you'll be able to vent your feelings and frustrations in a friendly environment, without fear;

Analyzing your reactions: you'll discover what triggers your anger and other hurtful feelings towards each other;

Learning how to deal with negative and stressful situations;

Setting goals regarding what you need to accomplish and to work on;

Doing homework to complement each session;

Working with a qualified, understanding person on making your marriage/partnership stronger.

It's also very important that you try to focus in resolving the issues at hand and don't get fixated on past mistakes. You need to forgive yourself and your partner in order to go forward. Remember: you want to heal the wounds and not scratch them open. You love this person and he/she loves you. That is the most important requirement needed for a life together. You're one of the lucky ones if you have true love in your life.

Visit a friendly LGBT Church Los Angeles. The Good Shepherd Church in Pasadena offers support and assistance to the LGBT community. More than a gay church Los Angeles - it's a church for everyone.

View the original article here

Whether Gay couples marriage Counseling must too?

Love is the most wonderful feeling in the world. Highlights of your soul and makes everything looks perfect.

The flip side, also love hurts. A lot. It can be magical, but it can be unbearably hard. Even if you have already committed relationship and you don't need to worry if your love is reciprocated, are so many circumstances and obstacles which can make your life together, living hell. If you are in the same gender relationship, apply the same rules, of course, but unfortunately, you have the added pressure of still very underprivileged society to deal with.

Marriage should be highly sought-after and cherished bond between two people who love each other unconditionally. In time, you can bind a node, the Love is there and you know that changing your life are enormous. You will be using the same space and material possessions, trying to fit in a circle of other users of the family and friends and Division of responsibilities and decisions for the rest of your life, among other things. This is nothing like it is? With regard to work each day with his spouse in the way of love, tolerance and compromise in the area. It is sometimes that you are both disputed situations, which are simply too difficult. Too much pain or too many bad memories are enabled. When you get to the moment when the relationship is on self-destructive spirala, you need to figure out whether you can solve Your problems, or whether it is actually the end of the road. If you are not ready for closing and are determined to fight for the relationship, by all means, look for outside help.

Counseling is one of tools you have available to cure shattered relationship. First, you need to find a therapist. Not just anyone, but someone with which you can apply and who know and arrange to have the session in the week, for example. This is a decisive step in the right direction. You will see:

On the basis of an unbiased: you'll know not to take sides in a therapist, you will hear instead of both, and try to work your differences;

Taking advantage of professional and objective perspective: you are both too involved in the problem of looking at it correctly-therapist will do this for you gives a clearer and more objective view of things;

Releasing negative vibes: you'll be able to vent feelings and frustrations in a friendly environment without fear;

Analyzing your responses: learn what triggers Your anger and other hurtful feelings towards each other;

How to deal with stressful situations and negative;

The objectives set for the data needed to perform and work;

Doing homework in order to complete each session;

Working with the qualified person shall, in making its findings, marriage/partnership even stronger.

It is also very important, try to focus on resolving issues emerging and not get fixated in the past mistakes. You need to Forgive yourself and your partner to go to the front. Remember: you want healing and don't scratch them open. Do you like this person and he loves you. This is the most important condition needed for a life together. You are one of the lucky ones, if you have a true love in your life.

Visit the friendly LGBT Church in Los Angeles. Good Shepherd Church in Pasadena offers support and assistance to the LGBT Community. More than homosexuals Church Los Angeles, is a church for all users.

View the original article here

What makes the perfect marriage Gay?

When a couple decides that they want to tie their love in the eyes of the law, and the rest of the world, they get married. It's great that you can achieve the same sex couples and can use all the typical wedding traditions and trimmings. However, not every gay marriage will be the same and may not always follow traditions like most weddings.

Most people have thought, what kind of wedding wish, so the mind is the idea. If you need to get the caps will not be thinking, as you can see that things can be quite articulated rest wedding looks and blends. If you have any idea about how to search for the suits or where or how the page after wards will go, you can work with this and let it affect the rest after a day.

It is one of the first things that you want to do, find a location. This can be confusing, making sure that they are available. Look around and see if they are suitable to host gay wedding. Booking a place Gets the ball rolling and set it in stone giving each day to work with.

The next step would be to find out how many people you are about to invite to the wedding of gays. You want the numbers and it is quite important as, if you already know you can order the appropriate tables and other things. The numbers also affects the position, you do not want anything too big or too small, just right. Invitations are an important way to find the numbers. Some of the project, you can go to encourages and depends on how much money you spend on Your Big Gay Wedding they could enter the then quite fancy.

The other main thing is to make sure that you have someone who is registered to engage in a gay wedding. Of course, there are religious things to people getting married so make sure you get the person you want to. If you already have someone posted, you'll have all of the wedding.

Now you have the major building blocks gay wedding, you can start wyjatkowoscia few bits. This is where you can place your own styles truly to proceedings. There are clothes, what to think. What are two lucky men or women to wear? Do you want to reward certain appearance or color scheme? The Transport must be seen and the cake needs addressing.

The main thing that is important, but it is not necessary is the dance party after wards. For some, this is one of the main focuses in the night and for some of the most memorable. Again you will need to find a place catering to this end. Also the music and entertainment at night. This is when people can Let their hair down and have fun.

These are grounds for gay weddings, and when you follow them you can go far wrong. The most important thing is really a pair of love and the fact that preparation of married and undertakes to each other and expressing his love.

View the original article here

Gay marriage in Connecticut: Hazardous to your wealth?

You are gay. You live in Connecticut. Want to marry.

The question arises, you will be treated financially in the same way as heterosexual couples? The answer is Yes and no.

The Connecticut Supreme Court recognizes gay marriages in 2008 and the legislature codified it. Essentially this outweighed the legislation on marriage and divorce of gender and orientation.

But the word "generally" is, where is the rub. Because the Federal Government and some States do not recognize same-sex marriages, these couples face challenges that affect transfer of wealth from marriage, divorce or death. More than 1,000 federal laws include marital status, often with negative consequences.

For example, at the federal level, the defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Same sex couples from:

• Filing joint tax returns;
• Obtain Social Security Survivor benefits;
• Use of malzenska transfer the exemptions for estate planning purposes.

Consider the example of a pair of gay men in Massachusetts, which was jointly by sixty years married officially in 2004, shortly after it became legal in Massachusetts. When one of the spouses died in 2008, the surviving spouse was blocked from receiving social security benefits, pensions because of marriage, although recognized in accordance with the laws of the State was not recognized under the DOMA. While the monthly benefit amounted to only $ 700 per month multiplied by the rest of the surviving spouses ' lifetime, which could easily be worth 100,000 dollars.

And there are other complications. The event, getting married in Connecticut do not necessarily confer jurisdiction to be divorced in Connecticut. If the same couple sex travels to Connecticut, to marry the country of origin that does not recognize gay marriage-will not be able to get divorced in their country of origin. Non-recognition of rights in the country of origin means that you will not be able to take advantage of the laws of that State when you divide a divorce their financial assets, even if those policies are favourable.

Obama administration last decision does not defend DOMA in court will be little impact current gay couples. However, while these challenging DOMA in court-the process of costly and lengthy-it may face opposition from the Obama administration lawyers, may suffer from the adverse effects on the level of the State. In addition, several federal agencies still need to follow and enforce the DOMA until it is overturned or repealed. Finally, the Obama administration decision does not affect the law in countries where gay marriage is not recognized.

Fortunately, most unfavorable aspects of the non-recognition may be overcome through well-designed, pre-nuptial contract. For example, the same couple sex be divorce, agree to submit themselves in the courts of Connecticut (and require physical movement, if necessary) when they moved To non-recognition of becoming married.

View the original article here