
Under IRS rule change, same-sex couples must split income and may get tax break
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"Under so-called 'income splitting,' the IRS is requiring all same-sex married couples or registered domestic partners in California to divide their combined income equally and report it on their separate tax returns.
"For some couples, it will mean more money in their 2010 refund; for others, they'll pay more in taxes.
"Either way, the change is significant, both monetarily and emotionally, officials of Lambda Legal, the national gay and lesbian legal rights group, said Tuesday in a conference call with reporters.
"Peter Renn, a Los Angeles-based Lambda attorney, hailed the new IRS requirement as a money-saver for many same-sex couples, as well as another step to 'move the ball forward' in recognizing their rights."