a look at the disparity in health, disability, death, and retirement policy for lesbian & gay...
Post on 31-Mar-2015
220 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
A look at the disparity in health, disability, death, and retirement policy for lesbian &
gay families
Lisa M. PolyakNovember 2007
LPolyak@jhsph.edu
The Marriage Works campaign recognizes that the benefits of marriage have been quantified through decades of research. We’ve merely distilled these benefits into clear, simple messages that anyone can grasp instantly:
Kids of married parents do better in school
Married people enjoy better health
Married people make better parents
Kids of married parents do better economically
Kids of married parents are more likely to have long-lasting marriages
Married people live longer
Married people have lower rates of substance abuse
Married people are happier
Married people spend half as much time in hospitals
Married people live more stable, secure lives
Married people live more active lifestyles
Married women experience lower rates of domestic violence
Married people have better mental health
Boys raised by married parents are less likely to commit crimes
“The Marriage Works program is a natural progression in the work of
Campaign For Our Children (CFOC), a group whose mission has always
been to reduce teen pregnancy rates throughout the United States. Mature choices made by youth are most often the result of a stable family life and
role modeling of good parents.”
Janet Hardy, M.D.C.M., Janet Hardy, M.D.C.M.,
Pediatrics Professor Pediatrics Professor Emeritus, JHMIEmeritus, JHMI
CFOC Board of DirectorsCFOC Board of Directors
“I think marriage promotion is one component of a broader way to
help poor minority couples improve their standard of living.”
Andrew J. Cherlin, PhD, Griswold Professor Andrew J. Cherlin, PhD, Griswold Professor
of Public Policy, Sociology Department, JHU, of Public Policy, Sociology Department, JHU,
in in Couples Take Baby Steps to “I Do”, Couples Take Baby Steps to “I Do”,
Baltimore Sun, November 25, 2007Baltimore Sun, November 25, 2007
DEMOGRAPHICS of SAME-SEX FAMILIES in the US*
8.8 million lesbian, gay & bisexual adults
779,867 same-sex couples
53.5% couples are male
46.5% couples are female
39% of same-sex couples have kids in the household
* All demographic data from Census 2000, updated by 2006 American Community Survey
DEMOGRAPHICS of UNMARRIED COUPLES with
KIDS
19.9% of opposite-sex couples raising children have been together for 5+ years
41.1% of same-sex couples raising children have been together for 5+ years
MORE DEMOGRAPHICS of SAME-SEX FAMILIES in the
USSame-sex couples are twice as likely as
married couples to be black or HispanicSame-sex couples are twice as likely as
married couples to be interracialThe children of same-sex couples are
similarly diverse: 45% are children of color (30% for married couples)
DEMOGRAPHICS of SAME-SEX HOUSEHOLDS in
MARYLANDAverage household income for same-
sex couples with kids is $33,000 lower than for married couples with kids
Home ownership rate for same-sex couples with kids is 30% lower than for married couples with kids
80% of same-sex couples are employed compared to 70% of married couples
Religious Marriage
Civil Marriage
Gay Marriage
Same-Sex Marriage
Why is access to civil marriage a PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE ???
Civil marriage provides protection to families at times
of greatest vulnerability
Birth DeathDisability Retirement
Unemployment
Immigration Costs
Immigration and legal fees to obtain permanent residence or citizenship for foreign national spouse: $250
Immigration and legal fees to obtain permanent residence or citizenship for foreign national spouse: $6,500
Home Ownership Costs
Tax penalty for adding married partner to property deed*
Local Tax : $0 State Tax: $0
Tax penalty for adding unmarried partner to property deed*
Local Tax: $7,500 State Tax: $1,500* Based on home valued at $300,000 in Baltimore City
Adoption Costs
Adoption fees to obtain legal relationship to biological child: $0/child
Total cost for 2 child family: $0
Adoption fees to obtain legal relationship to biological child: $2,500/child
Total Cost for 2 child family: $5,000
Statewide 2nd parent adoption available in only 7 states & DC
Health Insurance Costs
Annual premium for family of 4: $3,640
Annual Cost: $3,640
Annual premium for family (1 parent + 2 kids): $ 3,640
Annual premium for 2nd parent: $3,084
Annual deductible for 2nd parent: $500
Annual Cost: $7,224
Health Insurance Costs
Tax penalty for covering married partner on employer provided health insurance
Annual Cost: $0
Tax penalty for covering unmarried partner on employer provided health insurance
Annual Cost: $875** Federal income tax based on $60,000 annual salary
Social Security Benefits Upon Death of a Parent
Social Security for surviving children: $1,494/month/child
Annual Benefit for 2 kids: $35,856
Social Security for surviving biological child: $1,494/month/child
Social Security for surviving non-biological child: $0/month/child
Annual Benefit for 2 kids: $17,928
Upon death of one parent Social Security income
for surviving parent: $1,494/month
Annual Benefit: $17,928
Upon death of one parent
Social Security income for surviving parent: $0/month
Annual Benefit: $ 0
Social Security Benefits Upon Death of a Parent
Social Security Benefits Upon Retirement
Benefit for spouse who reaches full retirement age: $ 1,993/month
Annual Benefit: $23,916
Benefit for spouse who reaches full retirement age: $ 0/month
Annual Benefit: $ 0
Survivor and Estate Costs
State Inheritance Tax on family home valued at $300,000
Tax: $0
State Inheritance Tax on family home valued at $300,000
Tax: $15,000*
* Survivor must pay Maryland inheritance tax (10%) on half the value of the family home (married couples pay nothing).
Survivor and Estate Costs
401(k) may be rolled into surviving spouse’s IRA
Funds continue to accrue tax-free until withdrawal
Income Tax: $0*
401(k) may not be rolled into surviving partner’s IRA
Mandatory lump sum payment subject to Federal income tax
Income Tax: $23,000** Federal income tax based on 401(k) account valued at $100,000
Benefit Summary
Social Security Income for Surviving Children:
$35,856/yr $17,928/yr
Social Security Income for Surviving Parent:
$17,928/yr $0/yr
Social Security Income for Spouse upon
Retirement:$23,916/yr $0/yr
Cost Summary
Immigration fees for spouse: $250 $6,500
Home ownership tax: $0 $9,000
Adoption fees for children: $ 0 $5,000
Family health insurance: $3,640/yr $7,224/yr
Tax on partner health insurance:
$0 $875/yr
Inheritance tax on family home:
$ 0 $15,000
Income tax paid by surviving spouse on deceased’s 401(k):
$ 0 $23,000
CIVIL MARRIAGE
Protecting Families,
Improving Quality of
Life ~ Millions at a
Time
GJ Gates, “ Geographic Trends Among Same-Sex Couples in the US Census and the American Community Survey”, The Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy, UCLA School of Law, Nov 2007
MA Ash and MVL Badgett, “Separate and Unequal: The Effect of Unequal Access to Employment-Based Health Insurance on Same-sex and Unmarried Different-sex Couples,” Contemporary Economic Policy, Volume 24, No. 4, October 2006
GJ Gates, “Same-sex Couples and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Population: New Estimates from the American Community Survey”, The Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy, UCLA School of Law, Oct 2006
RBSears, G JGates, and WB Rubenstein, “Same-Sex Couples and Same-Sex Couples Raising Children in The United States Data from the Census 2000,” The Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy, UCLA School of Law, September 2005
L Bennett, and GJ Gates, “The Cost of Marriage Inequality to Children and Their Same-Sex Parents”, A Human Rights Campaign Foundation Report, April 13, 2004
top related