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Gay Couple Uses Adoption To Gain Benefits

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Two Pennsylvania men who have been in a relationship for more than 40 years found a unique way to get around state law that prohibits benefits for same-sex couples.

The blog CentralVoice reports that the two men, John, 65, and Gregory, 73, became father and son as one adopted the other in Dauphin County court after 44 years together.

The couple says by having one adopt the other, they were able to pay lower inheritance taxes.

With the adoption, the couple will only pay 4.5 percent as opposed to 15 percent to transfer to heirs.

John and Gregory tell CentralVoice that adopting each other was a quicker solution than waiting for new legislation to be passed.

The couple also tells the blog that the adoption proceeding was fairly simple – and the conservative judge overseeing it says it was an easy decision to make.

"There's no real reason in state law not to allow these types of adoptions," Judge Bruce Rudebusch told the CentralVoice.

However, state legislators are considering a bill that would allow civil unions in Pennsylvania, eliminating the need for gay couples to adopt on another for benefits.

Read CentralVoice's full article here: centralvoice.wordpress.com

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