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  • Domestic partner benefits are a hotly debated issue because not every company offers them nor are they treated as traditional benefits. The difference in benefits between a married and unmarried couple can get into the thousands of dollars when dealing with health benefits and taxes.

    History

    "Domestic partner benefits" entered the American language lexicon during the early 1980s when San Francisco attempted to pass legislation that gave unmarried couples the same benefits as married people, according to Insure.com.

    Misconceptions

    Domestic partner benefits are not just related to the issue of same-sex marriage and partnerships, but also to unmarried couples of the same or different sexes, reports the Alternatives to Marriage Project.

    Features

    Most domestic partner benefits offered by companies are scant, or "fringe" benefits, such as the ability to use company property and sick leave, reports FindLaw. Businesses often do not offer full benefits such as medical and dental coverage due to the possible increased costs of adding another individual to a plan.

    Fun Fact

    In 2008, there were 9,374 companies and nonprofits that offered some domestic partner benefits, according to Insure.com. Two hundred seventy of them were listed as Fortune 500 companies.

    Considerations

    As of 2009, federal law considers domestic partner benefits as taxable income, unless the partners live together and one of the partners receives over half of their income from the other, according to FindLaw.

    Source:

    Alternatives to Marriage Project: Domestic Partner Benefits F.A.Q.

    FindLaw.com: Domestic Partner Benefits

    Insure.com: Health insurance benefits for domestic partners

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