CNNMoney – Many same-sex couples eligible for big tax refunds

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Married same-sex couples who paid extra tax because
the federal government didn’t recognize their marriage are now eligible
to get some of that money back.

The Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, defined marriage as between a
man and a woman, which meant married same-sex couples had to file their
taxes individually. But the Supreme
Court’s summer ruling
overturned that law. Now these couples are
not only able to file as married going forward, but they have the option
of amending their tax returns for the past three years if it would
benefit them. 

 For some couples, doing this will reduce their overall tax liability
and result in big refunds, which is typically the case when there is a
large disparity in incomes (for example, when one spouse doesn’t
work).They can also claim any tax paid on health
insurance benefits extended from one spouse to another through an
employer-sponsored plan.

Refunds will vary widely by couple, and could be as high as tens of thousands of dollars.
Janet and Janet Emery-Black, from Nampa, Idaho, are anticipating retroactive refunds totaling $30,000. Another couple,

Adele and Jennifer Hoppe-House
, from Los Angeles, expect to get back $13,000.

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