TurboTax Is The #1-Rated, Best-Selling Anti-Gay Tax Software

Are you a gay couple in a civil union?  Or gay marriage? Or similar supposedly separate-but equal statuses?

Have you done your taxes yet?  Well, let me tell you, with TurboTax -- you are separate and unequal.

What you ask?  How can this be?

From the TurboTax website (http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/kb/tax-content/tax-tips/5197.html): 

Start with Your Federal Return

When you begin your single federal return, TurboTax will ask if you were married during the tax year. Select Registered Domestic Partnership to indicate an RDP, civil union, or same-sex marriage.

Now complete and file your single federal return for the IRS. (If you start a state return, TurboTax will tell you that it’s not the right time to do that, and that you should instead file your federal return.)

Next, your partner will complete and file his or her single federal return.

After finishing your two separate federal returns, prepare your married federal return for the state.

Preparing an RDP Return using TurboTax Desktop Version

If you are using the desktop version of TurboTax:

• Open your TurboTax federal return (the one you already completed and filed with the IRS).
• From the File menu, select Save As.
• In the Save Tax Return window, enter a different file name, and then select Save.
• Go to the Personal Info section and confirm that you are in a RDP, civil union, or same-sex marriage. Also indicate if you are filing as either married filing jointly or married filing separately.
• Enter your partner’s personal information when TurboTax asks about your spouse.
• If filing as married filing jointly, include your partner’s tax information as you prepare and complete this return.
• Once this return is done, continue on to your state return. You will see confirmation that this is your married state return.
• Prepare your married state return and include your partner’s tax information (if filing as married filing jointly).
• Finish this return and file it with your state (by mail or e-file).

What does this mean?  You have to do your taxes three times if you are a gay or lesbian couple.  You call that separate but equal?

Its not!

Programs like turbo tax that force gay couples to do extra work should not be able to be sold in states where gay and lesbian couples can be married or civil-unioned.

You can't tell me that a programmer couldn't create an import function and instruct the TurboTax to re-calculate that "third" return for gay couples!

{mosimage}I called TurboTax to inquire and complain about this gay relationship penalty in their program.  (You see both my husband and myself have our own businesses.  We had to re-enter all the data for one of us when we created that "third" federal tax form that gets tossed away for gay couples who are married or civil-unioned.  After waiting on the phone for 42 minutes I spoke with a TurboTax customer service rep about this issue for gay couples.  He was very helpful and apologized.  He told me "this is the way the federal government has told us to do it."

Sorry -- that's bogus -- if they can put a person on the moon, they can eliminate this separate but unequal function from TurboTax.

We'd love to hear thoughts from other gay couples on this issue.  Do tax preparation professionals have to make up a third return and re-enter one of the gay couple's income and deduction data again?  Do they charge gay couples extra?  Should TurboTax be removed from the shelves from states where gay and lesbian couples can marry, enter into a civil union or domestic partnerships?

Time Capsule

Early on in our relationship, Brian & I decided we needed to create a ritual to celebrate our commitment as well as be a role model for others.

Role model was not the word we used at the time. We wanted to let others know two men could have a loving, committed, monogamous relationship. We used the word "prove". 

We also wanted others to celebrate our commitment with us.

Trouble is, there are not the support structures / public rituals in place for gay couples like there are for straight couples.

We didn't want to do some knock-off or impression act either.

What to do?

After some consideration and discussion we decided upon a Time Capsule. We would create a Time Capsule every ten years. Then for our 50th Anniversary, we would have a big party to crack open the first four and build the fifth. Core to each Time Capsule would be letters from people currently in our lives. 

Notice its not letters from friends that we are seeking to include in the Time Capsule. Not that we don't want letters from friends - we do. But we decided we would not seek out long lost friends for letters. We wanted each Time Capsule to be a reflection of our lives at the time each Time Capsule was created.

It was the perfect solution. First it created a way for people in our lives to celebrate our commitment as a gay couple. They wouldn't need to remember. They would be reminded when we asked for a Time Capsule letter.

Second it created a way for us to educate our world about our relationship. How awkward is it to go up to someone and say, "I've been in a gay relationship for 20 years, would you like to congratulate and celebrate with me -- where's my card?" How much easier is it to say, "We are building a Time Capsule and I was wondering if you'd like to write a letter." They will inevitably ask, "Why are you assembling a Time Capsule?" and the conversion naturally flows and opens up.

Third the process intrigued people and brought them together around the topic of gay relationships -- particularly when they heard our plan to have a big party for our 50th Anniversary to crack open the first four Time Capsules and build the fifth.

A gay couple? Together for 50 years?

You bet!