Everyone knows there are same sex marriages. That means there are also same sex 
divorces. The consequences are no less significant. There are assets involved, and sometimes children. You may need a competent attorney.
Do same sex couples get divorces as often? No. Same-sex couples are divorcing at half the rate of opposite-sex couples. According to data published by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, in 2011 the divorce rate for same-sex couples was 1.1% per year, while the divorce rate for straight couples was 2% per year.
There are some differences. For example, how long have they been married? The length of the marriage affects issues like division of assets. Since same-sex marriages have not been legal very long, the same-sex marriages are of shorter duration.
There may be tax issues. Monies received in a same-sex divorce may be taxable. Spousal support is usually a tax write off for the partner making payments and it is usually taxable to the party receiving payments. This may not be true for same-sex divorces.
Residency requirements may be an issue for same-sex marriages. Most states require some sort of residency in order to get a divorce. If you traveled to another state to get married, and never lived there, you could have some issues when getting a divorce.
Call our office for a consultation today. Steven W. Hair, focuses his practice as a divorce attorney, family law attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Safety Harbor.
For more information, visit our website at www.FamilyLawClearwater.com
or call (727) 726-0797.