Tribune Reports Gay Marriage Tax Benefit Nixed

From the South Bend Tribune:

Gay rights advocates said they're deeply concerned about a split in state policy from a new federal approach to taxes recognizing same-sex marriage that the Indiana Senate approved 41-6 on Tuesday.

Lawmakers voted to change a tax bill Monday, a move allowing the state to keep its current policy, which does not recognize same-sex marriages for tax purposes.

The move comes in the wake of an emotional debate to ban gay marriage in the state constitution that was derailed earlier this session.

Tim Orient, who lives with his husband and two children in Indianapolis, was married five years ago in Massachusetts. If the bill passes through final legislative negotiations and is signed by Gov. Mike Pence, he'll have to file jointly for his federal return then split his assets for the state.
 

"I guess it was something I'd figured I'd have to live with," Orient said. If Indiana keeps the split with federal policy, "it's going to cost us twice as much" to file his returns, he said.
 

Without the changes to the bill, Indiana could have adopted a new Internal Revenue Service policy giving same-sex marriages equal privileges in tax filings.
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http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/politics/gay-marriage-tax-benefit-nixed/article_19869f68-a451-11e3-ace4-0017a43b2370.html