For over a decade, I have relied on the services of TurboTax for preparation of taxes. Each year I do Scott’s taxes, my taxes, Gary’s taxes (his are EASY) Dad’s taxes. I used to do Pam’s taxes. If I had to do these manually, I’d be stuck up a creek! By and large, though, with TurboTax, I’ve had it pretty easy. Not so much for 2009. I’ll come back to this in a moment.
One of the most resounding lessons I recall learning from my Dad as I was growing up was that, in a land that guarantees us so many rights, it is essential to remember that for every right, there are responsibilities. We have the right to free speech, but we have the responsibility to exercise that right appropriately (the cliche about yelling FIRE! in a crowded theater comes to mind.) It was the sense of responsibility for defending those rights that encouraged me to join the US Army. We have the right to vote, but we have the responsibility to actually DO so, and do so from an informed conscience. I admit, this last responsibility is one I’ve neglected for a few election cycles.
Scott and I embraced the opportunity afforded to us by the State of Iowa to legally marry. We did so because of the rights that come to us as a result of that piece of paper, the marriage license. I never forget, though, that there are responsibilities that come with many, perhaps all, of those rights.
Over the years I hear from friends about this thing called the “marriage penalty” that come at tax time. This year, I’ve learned it for myself.
First of all, here’s what Scott and I now have to do. I have to prepare my own individual tax forms, Federal, Nebraska, & Iowa tax forms. I file as Head of Household because I have, until August of this year, supported Gary. Then I have to prepare Scott’s tax forms, Federal, Nebraska, & Iowa. He files Single. THEN, I have to prepare a third set of tax forms, Federal, Nebraska, & Iowa, combined for Scott and I.
When it comes time to file, I file Scott’s Federal and Nebraska forms, MY Federal & Nebraska forms, and OUR Iowa forms.
First of all, I find it totally annoying to have to go through that. But that’s the way it is, with our current laws. Scott and I are only married, from a mere legal perspective, in Iowa.
Generally every year, Scott and I get refunds from the Federal & Nebraska returns, I get a refund from Iowa, and Scott pays to Iowa an amount roughly equal to his Nebraska refund.
As a result of the joint return for Iowa, we owe Iowa taxes an amount slightly larger than if we were to file all our forms individually. But, overall, we are only paying combined a little less than if we did individually. But, looking at all the forms, if we were legally able to file “Married filing Jointly” all three taxes we’d take a hit of about $1,000.00.
So, now I understand the Marriage Penalty my “Het-married” friends are talking about!
And you know what? When that day comes, I’ll proudly and happily pay that penalty! Because, the right to be legally married to the person I love, a right denied to us, as second class citizens of the United States of America, is a precious right, and it is one I’ll gladly and proudly take responsibility for… even if it means losing $1,000 or more in refunds.
On The Road II 