Obama Budget Extends Social Security Benefits to All Married Same-Sex Couples

President Barack Obama’s budget for fiscal year 2016 includes a major change for legally married same-sex couples, making them eligible to receive Social Security spousal benefits regardless of where they live. Currently, these couples are unable to get such benefits if they live in a state that does not recognize their marriage. “This means that for a couple that marries in one state where same-sex marriage is recognized and then moves to another state where it is not, the protection that Social Security spousal benefits provides to families is unavailable,” says the budget proposal, which was released Monday. “Under this proposal, such married couples would have access to these benefits.” This proposed change to the Social Security Act was welcome news for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender advocates, who have been pushing for equal benefits. “[Obama’s] proposal to ensure equal Social Security benefits would fix a crucial gap in federal protections for same-sex couples,” said Evan Wolfson, president of Freedom to Marry. “President Obama’s leadership in helping bring the freedom to marry to all Americans will be a shining part of this president’s legacy.” “Of course,” he added, “the only way to ensure same-sex couples nationwide have all the protections of marriage is for the Supreme Court to put the country on the right side of history by ending marriage discrimination throughout the United States, leaving no family and no state behind.”

Source/more: Huffington Post