The Supreme Court’s decision legalizing same-sex marriage in all 50 states in 2015 was undoubtedly a watershed moment in American society.1 It also had some major practical implications for same-sex couples, including the ability to file federal taxes using the married designation and filing status. Domestic partnerships and civil unions—although counted as legal relationships that are recognized on the state level—are not marriages and don’t qualify you to file federal taxes as a married couple.2 This means you can only use the marriage designation for tax filing if you are legally married.
