The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the IRS has ruled that it will recognize joint tax returns of gay married couples.
And yes, this also includes Florida.
The ruling, which came down Thursday, says that legally married same-sex couples will be treated as married for federal tax purposes.
According to a U.S. Department of Treasury news release, the ruling applies even if the couple lives in a jurisdiction that does not recognize same-sex marriage -- such as Florida.
"[The] ruling provides certainty and clear, coherent tax filing guidance for all legally married same-sex couples nationwide. It provides access to benefits, responsibilities and protections under federal tax law that all Americans deserve," said Secretary Jacob J. Lew. "This ruling also assures legally married same-sex couples that they can move freely throughout the country knowing that their federal filing status will not change."
However, the ruling does not apply to registered domestic partnerships or civil unions.
Which means that a gay couple living in Florida who want the tax breaks straight married couples get need to go get married in a state where gay marriage is legal.
They can then come back home to Florida and take advantage of the tax breaks, including income and gift and estate taxes.
So, thanks to the ruling, gay married couples living in Florida will be able to file joint returns.
The ruling applies to all federal tax provisions where marriage is a factor, including filing status, claiming personal and dependency exemptions, taking the standard deduction, employee benefits, contributing to an IRA, and claiming the earned income tax credit or child tax credit.
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