ACLU

Same-sex couples often jump through legal hoops when dealing with their joint finances -- and owning real estate is no exception. If the Supreme Court strikes down the law that defines marriage as the legal union between a man and a woman, some, but not all, of these obstacles may be removed.When it comes to owning a house together, gay married couples can expect to see a few changes if the Supreme Court rules that a part of the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, is unconstitutional. Those changes will affect the mortgage interest tax deduction and Veterans Affairs home loans.A Supreme Court ruling could have a harder-to-define effect in the 50 states and District of Columbia. Each jurisdiction has its own laws regarding the treatment of same-sex couples, as well as its own laws governing ownership of real estate.This article first describes what could happen federally with the mortgage interest tax deduction and VA loans. Then, a clickable map summarizes how same-sex homeownership is g...

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