The historic ban on same-sex marriage forced many couples to devise their own relationship arrangements. Now, with marriage available in every state in the United States and in most other countries, and marriage-equivalent registrations available in most states, same-sex couples have a wide variety of legal options to choose from.

 

As of June 2013, married couples have been able to benefit from the protections of federal recognition. While there is now marriage equality and access to legal adoption of your children in every state, there are still significant problems as a result of the historic complexities and the lack of interstate and federal recognition of marriage-equivalent registrations.  These new realities mandate an even greater degree of education on how the legal rules can affect your relationship, your assets, and your children.

 

I urge you to think carefully during the happy times about what is best for you and your partner, so you can avoid uncertainty and conflicts in the event you face hard times in the future.

—Frederick Hertz