Heterosexual widows and widowers automatically get the Social Security benefits of their deceased spouse, but the IRS treats same sex married, civil unioned and domestic partnered couples as strangers with no rights to their partner's benefits.
In 1935, the Social Security Act was created to help ensure the economic safety of America's elderly.The United States Social Security Administration does not recognize same-sex marriages or domestic partnerships as valid relationships.Consequently, thousands of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender seniors are denied Social Security benefits every year.Ineligible for Social Security surivors benefits, and faced with undue economic burdens, many LGBT seniors are forced to give up their homes after losing their partner.
One gay man tells what happened after the love of his life passed away:
1 comment:
I saw this a few days ago. It broke my 'straight but not narrow' heart.
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