Need help understanding the IRS changes and how file correctly and advantageously? Many gay and lesbian couples have been – or will be – affect by recent changes the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) made regarding tax treatment for same-sex couples in community property states, including Washington.
Last week, Pride Foundation and Lambda Legal co-hosted an information session on the recent IRS developments impacting same-sex couples in Washington State. Attendees came with pencils in hand, a strong desire to understand the IRS changes and prepared with questions about applying the new rules of community property to their own tax filings.
Click here to listen to the file and feel free to share this link with friends. The session was approximately 2 hours long, so please get comfortable, and know that you can pause and replay the audio file. With help from our friends at Town Hall Seattle, we were able to record the entire session, including the lively Q&A discussion with the audience.
Listen to the recording: “Washington State Tax Developments for Same-Sex Couples” from Pride Foundation.
The speaker panel welcomed three experts, listed below with contact information:
Laura Hoexter, Esq., Estate Planning Attorney – Helsell Fetterman, LLP
Jordan Heitzman, CPA – Rainy City CPA
Judi O’Kelley, Esq., Deputy Director of Development – Lambda Legal
Further, Lambda Legal has a comprehensive FAQ sheet about community property and IRS application changes for same-sex couples in Washington, California and Nevada. Click here to download the document.
Many people inquired about contacting a Certified Public Accountant for further assistance. Below is a list of individual CPAs and accounting firms that are members of the Greater Seattle Business Association – a LGBTQ and allied business and professional chamber of commerce serving the Puget Sound region. When gaining professional counsel of any kind, we strongly encourage people to interview multiple providers and find the expert who has the area of knowledge, location and style that works best for your needs.
Thank you again to Lambda Legal for a great collaboration!
Ako, Roen D.I. CPA (Accountants, Certified Public)
Newman Dierst Hales, PLLC
Phone: (206) 284-1383
E-mail: rako@ndhaccountants.com
Dave Bembridge CPA PS (Accountants, Certified Public)
Phone: (206) 323-7103
E-mail: dave@davecpa.com
Geoffrey Shelton, CPA (Accountants, Certified Public)
Phone: (206) 783-5225
GSBA’s 1992 Businessman of the Year
E-mail: geoffcpa@att.net
Harley F Broe, CPA (Accountants, Certified Public)
Phone: (206) 322-7298
1992 GSBA Business Woman of the Year Award
E-mail: taxproseattle@gmail.com
O’Leary, Rick, CPA, MBA (Accountants, Certified Public)
Rick O’Leary and Company
Phone: (206) 282-1923a
E-mail: RickOleary@msn.com
RainCity CPA (Accountants, Certified Public)
Heitzman, Jordan B.
Phone: (206) 402-5266
E-mail: jordan@raincitycpa.com
Seabold Group (Accountants, Certified Public)
Norberg, Martha CPA
Phone: (206) 522-1152 x304
E-mail: mnorberg@seaboldgroup.com
Ter Claeys, EA, CPA (Accountants, Certified Public)
Phone: (206) 322-9472
E-mail: ter@terclaeyscpa.com
Watson & McDonell, PLLC (Accountants, Certified Public)
McDonell, Lillian, CPA, Audit Partner
Phone: (206) 624-2380 x104
E-mail: lillian@watsoncpas.com
The IRS has announced that it will apply community property tax treatment registered to domestic partners and same-sex spouses in Washington State to reflect “income-splitting” – in the same way that it applies those laws to different-sex married couples who file their federal income tax returns separately. Remember: If you are one of the people these new rules affect, the IRS is requiring you and your partner or spouse to “income-split” on your 2011 federal income tax filings due April 17, 2012.