The Tax Policy Center hosts a luncheon discussion today on The Higher Cost of Being Gay: Life, Death, and Taxes (webcast here):

Same-sex couples in the United States face higher costs than their heterosexual counterparts, largely because federal law either precludes or does not require equivalent treatment. The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) specifically prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex couples as married. President Obama has pledged to repeal DOMA and to seek the equal treatment of same-sex couples by the federal government. Join us as we discuss various issues affecting same-sex couples including their higher lifetime tax costs, how the estate tax affects them, and the difficulties older same-sex couples face in planning for retirement.

Panelists:

• Roberton Williams (Tax Policy Center)
• Michael D. Steinberger (Pomona College)
• Naomi G. Goldberg (Williams Institute, UCLA)
• Lee Badgett (Williams Institute, UCLA & Center for Public Policy and Administration, UMass) (moderator)

Prior TaxProf Blog coverage: Federal Estate Tax Disadvantages for Same-Sex Couples (Nov. 24, 2009)