IRS Posts Help Video For Married Gays

Via press release from the White House:

The Internal Revenue Service released a new YouTube video designed to provide useful tax tips to married same-sex couples. The new video, less than two minutes long, is available in English, Spanish and American Sign Language and can be accessed via IRS.gov. It joins an array of online products, including answers to frequently-asked questions, designed to help same-sex couples file their federal income tax returns. Following last summer’s Supreme Court decision invalidating a key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act, the IRS ruled that same-sex couples, legally married in jurisdictions that recognize their marriages, are now treated as married for federal tax purposes. 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.

UTAH: GOP Rep Intro's Bill Creating Tax Form Check Box To Fight Gay Marriage

GOP Utah state Rep. Merrill Nelson has introduced a bill to create a check box on the state income tax form for citizens who'd like help pay the legal costs to fight gay marriage.

HB48 would create a check-off on forms for a "Marriage Defense Fund." It would also allow direct donations to the fund via cash, check or credit card — and would direct the state to conduct a marketing campaign to help raise money. "I see it as a way to placate proponents of same-sex marriage who have complained about the cost" to taxpayers for the state’s ongoing appeals to defend Amendment 3, said Nelson, an attorney for Kirton McConkie, whose clients include The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "I see it as a peacekeeping measure.... I see this as a way to placate both sides." He added, "I’ve had several individuals and groups tell me they would like to donate to the cause. It’s a way for them to show their support." Besides the tax form check-off, the bill would allow direct contributions to the fund by "cash, credit card or check."

Earlier this month Utah hired outside lawyers to plead their case before the Tenth Circuit Court. That legal team has agreed to cap their fees at $300,000.

UTAH: State Allows Joint Tax Filing

Via the Salt Lake Tribune:

Utah same-sex couples legally married in the Beehive State or any other state may file joint state income tax returns, the Utah State Tax Commission announced Thursday. It is the latest — and apparently final — tax guideline on the issue, at least for 2013 returns. Previously, the Utah Tax Commission had issued a policy statement saying it would not allow joint filing of state returns by gay or lesbian couples married legally in any other state. That was before a federal judge struck down Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage but after the Internal Revenue Service had announced it would allow joint filing by same-sex couples married legally anywhere, regardless of their state of residence. The Utah tax agency did not immediately explain its reversal Thursday.

Read the full decision.

North Dakota Creates Gay Tax Form

From the Grand Forks Herald:

North Dakota now has a tax form for married same-sex couples, and it’s precisely because the state doesn’t recognize such marriages. For the North Dakota tax department, that posed a bit of a dilemma, according to Lorie Bowker, who oversees the department’s income tax section. She said its answer was the form ND-1S, which was posted online about a week ago. It’s basically a work form for divvying up a couple’s federal tax filing so they can file as individuals in North Dakota. Bowker said, like the federal government, there is a “marriage penalty” built into the North Dakota tax code, so filing as individuals could be beneficial to same-sex couples. For example, a couple earning $75,000 together would owe the state $1,341, but if they filed as two individuals earning half that amount, they would together owe $151 less.

NEW YORK CITY: Activists Demand "Robin Hood Tax" On Financial Institutions

Yesterday about a thousand activists marched on the United Nations, demanding the creation of a so-called "Robin Hood Tax" on Wall Street and financial institutions around the world. Forbes posted a press release:

To commemorate the 2nd Anniversary of Occupy Wall Street, the Robin Hood tax coalition that consists of two hundred million supporters around the world including Occupy Wall Street, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, The Vatican, The AFL-CIO, Lawrence Summers, Nancy Pelosi, Nobel Prize Laureates Desmond Tutu, Al Gore, Joseph Stigliz and Paul Krugman will rally to support H.R. 1579, the Inclusive Prosperity Act, a financial transaction tax of 0.5% that will raise hundreds of billions of dollars a year that puts people before profit and helps stabilize the financial markets. Dozens of major economies have already implemented this tax. 11 countries including Germany and France will begin to implement the tax on January 1.

From the Robin Hood Tax website:

This small tax of less than ½ of 1% on Wall Street transactions can generate hundreds of billions of dollars each year in the US alone. Enough to protect American schools, housing, local governments and hospitals. Enough to pay for lifesaving AIDS medicines. Enough to support people and communities around the world – and deal with the climate challenges we're facing. It won't affect ordinary Americans, their personal savings, or every day consumer activity, such as ATMs or debit cards. It's easy to enforce and tough to evade. This is a tax on Wall Street, which created the greatest economic crisis in our nation, and globally, since the Great Depression. The same people who have returned to record profits and bonuses while ordinary Americans, the 99%, continue to pay the price of their crisis.

Gothamist has posted a slideshow from yesterday and notes that among those arrested was openly gay New York state Sen. Bray Hoylman, seen below.

Fischer Has The Treasury Dept. Sadz

"There will be enormous federal pressure now on states to conform to the IRS. The Supreme Court decision placed an [improvised explosive device] under every state marriage amendment in the land. I predict we will very quickly see legal action in the 37 states that do not give legal recognition to same-sex marriage to force them to conform to federal policy on their tax forms, and you will get activist federal judges that will comply." - Hate group spokesman Bryan Fischer, telling the Washington Post that he agrees with gay activists that yesterday's Treasury Department decision to grant federal tax status to married gay couples in every state will escalate the fight for full equality nationwide.

BREAKING: Married Gay Couples To Get Federal Tax Status In Every State

Sam Stein reports at Huffington Post:

The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced Thursday that when it comes to taxes, it will recognize same-sex couples' marriages even if they live in a state that does not. The decision, which was prompted by the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act, marks the latest political progress for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Prior to this spring, the Internal Revenue Service did not recognize same-sex married couples pursuant to section 3 of DOMA. Once DOMA was overturned in June, the question became: What about same-sex married couples who moved to a state that didn’t recognize their marriage (a couple married in Massachusetts who moved to Arkansas, for example)? Thursday’s ruling by Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew provides a uniform policy for the IRS; the state of celebration -- where the wedding took place -- now trumps the state of residency when it comes to federal tax status for same-sex married couples.

Freedom To Marry head Evan Wolfson reacts:

“This announcement makes today a day of celebration and relief for married same-sex couples all over America. At long last, the IRS will treat them as what they are: married. Freedom to Marry commends the administration’s swift implementation of the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling for federal equality in an area that will have a direct, tangible impact on families’ financial health. The fact that this new respect applies only to married couples – not those joined by domestic partnerships or civil unions – highlights the need for an America where everyone can marry the person they love in any state, and have that marriage respected at all levels of government.”

NEW YORK: State Legislature Grants Tax Breaks To Jillionaire Apartment Owners

The New York state legislature has approved a bill sponsored by GOP Sen. Martin Golden that will grant tax breaks to the owners of multimillion dollar apartments at five skyscrapers presently under construction in Manhattan.

The millionaires buying apartments in a soaring tower rising on 57th St. will get more than sweeping views of Central Park: They’ll also be eligible for massive city tax breaks. So will the homeowners and builders of four other luxury Manhattan condo and rental developments. Language quietly inserted into a bill that sailed through the state Legislature singled out the five developments to make them eligible for tax breaks — which could cost the city tens of millions of dollars in property taxes, the Daily News has learned. The sponsor of the bill, Sen. Martin Golden (R-Brooklyn), defended the tax breaks, saying the projects would create jobs and boost the economy. “These projects were ready to go,” he said. But Golden could not say who selected the five projects for special treatment. “I’m not sure where they came from,” he said.

The Daily News points out that developers of four of the projects have contributed $1.5M to state campaign committees since 2008.  The 90th floor penthouse at One57 sold for over $100M to the Prime Minister of Qatar last year. (Tipped by JMG reader Win)

RELATED: Last January the anti-gay Alliance Defense Fund wrote a bill that Golden sponsored which forces NYC to allow churches to hold weekend services at public schools.  In 2011 Golden joined with anti-gay freak show Sen. Ruben Diaz in sponsoring a bill to void New York state's recognition of out-of-state same-sex marriages. The bill failed.

Websites Ordered To Charge NY Sales Tax

In a case that may be headed for the Supreme Court, a New York appeals court has ruled that out-of-state websites such as Amazon must charge state sales tax.

The case, combining two brought by Amazon and Overstock.com Inc, was decided by the New York State Court of Appeals by a vote of 4-1. "It's unfortunate and the (U.S.) Supreme Court ought to look at this," Overstock acting Chief Executive Jonathan Johnson told Reuters by phone. "We have states saying different things," he said, citing a ruling by the Illinois Supreme Court that a similar tax was not permissible. The U.S. Supreme Court typically accepts cases where lower courts issue conflicting opinions. "The ruling by the New York Court of Appeals conflicts with both the U.S. Supreme Court's precedents and with contrary decisions by other state courts that have looked at the same issue," an Amazon spokesman said by email.

Amazon already charges sales tax in states where they have physical presence. Eight other states have passed laws similar to New York's.

Vladimir Putin Grants Actor Gerard Depardieu Russian Citizenship

Associated Press: "French actor, Gerard Depardieu was granted Russian citizenship Thursday by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The actor is hoping to avoid France's proposed super tax on millionaires."

LIVE VIDEO: Fiscal Cliff Negotiations

Click over to CSPAN and watch it live, if you can bear it.

New Site: Romney's Tax Plan

Go ahead, click for details.

ITALY: Catholic Church To Be Stripped Of Property Tax Exemptions

Beginning next year the Catholic Church will be forced to pay property taxes in Italy.  The new law came about due to pressure from the EU.

The move could net Italy revenues of 500 million to 2 billion euros annually across the country, municipal government associations said. The extra income from previously exempt properties in Rome alone – including hotels, restaurants and sports centers – could reach 25.5 million euros a year, La Repubblica daily newspaper reported. On Monday, the Council of State, Italy's highest ranking court for administrative litigation, ruled against the new law. Authorities stepped in, arguing that everyone in Italy should pay property tax, including the Church. The measure came after the country’s leadership decided in February to alter Italy’s property tax code, ending the Church’s longstanding privileges due to the severe debt crisis.

(Tipped by JMG reader Rick)

Pastors Taunt IRS On Political Speech

"Some Americans could use a sermon on politics -- and yesterday, they got one! More than 1,400 pastors joined Pulpit Freedom Sunday, challenging the IRS's rules on what churches can and can't say about elections. The project, part of Alliance Defending Freedom's outreach, was first introduced to FRC's pastors network in 2008. Since then, the number of churches involved has absolutely exploded, making yesterday's event the most successful yet. ADF launched the initiative in hopes of challenging a 1954 tax code called the Johnson Amendment, which bans tax-exempt organizations from making political endorsements. 'The purpose is to make sure that the pastor and not the IRS decides what is said from the pulpit,' said ADF's Erik Stanley. If the IRS does take action on the thousands of recorded sermons that will be flooding its offices from yesterday, one thing's for sure. ADF will be ready!" - Hate group leader Tony Perkins, via press release.

Obama Slams Romney On Taxes

GERMANY: Catholic Bishops Crack Down On Church Tax Refusers

Germany's Catholic bishops have declared that they will no longer perform sacraments or burial services for those that opt-out of paying church taxes. Germans who officially declare themselves members of major denominations pay an additional 8% of their annual tax bill which is then granted to their church.  The Vatican has approved the new decree.

Alarmed by a wave of dissenting Catholics quitting the faith, the bishops issued a decree on Thursday declaring such defection "a serious lapse" and listed a wide range of church activities from which they must be excluded. The annual total of church leavers, usually around 120,000, rocketed to 181,193 two years ago as revelations about decades of sexual abuse of children by priests shamed the hierarchy and prompted an apology from German-born Pope Benedict. "This decree makes clear that one cannot partly leave the Church," a statement from the bishops conference said. "It is not possible to separate the spiritual community of the Church from the institutional Church." Church taxes brought in about 5 billion euros ($6.5 billion) for the Roman Catholic Church and 4.3 billion euros for the Protestant churches in 2010, according to official statistics."

In addition to being denied the sacraments, those that refuse to pay church tax can no longer be named as godparents and must request special permission to be married in the Catholic Church.

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Mitt Romney: I Can't Release Tax Returns Because It's Against My Religion

"Our church doesn’t publish how much people have given. This is done entirely privately. One of the downsides of releasing one’s financial information is that this is now all public, but we had never intended our contributions to be known. It’s a very personal thing between ourselves and our commitment to our God and to our church." - Mitt Romney, coming up with a new excuse in an interview with Parade Magazine.