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Fendrick & Morgan, LLC is pleased to announce that it is now able to provide LGBT couples with the same level of estate planning that was previously only available to heterosexual couples. Recently, in Obergefell v. Hodges, a fiercely divided 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court ruled that that the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution guarantees LGBT couples the right to marry. In writing for the majority, Justice Kennedy was concise and clear: “The court now holds that same-sex couples may exercise the fundamental right to marry.”
The landmark decision made same-sex marriage a reality in all States, holding specifically that the Fourteenth Amendment requires a State to license a marriage between two people of the same sex and to recognize a marriage between two people of the same sex when their marriage was lawfully licensed and performed out-of-State. Prior to this decision, 14 states continued to ban same-sex marriages.
In granting Fourteenth Amendment protection to marriage of all persons, regardless of sexual orientation, Justice Kennedy talked about the fundamental right to marry, and how marriage is, in many ways, at the core of all societal relationships. Kennedy’s thoughtful 34 page opinion also details the history of LGBT cases which have been considered by the U.S. Supreme Court, and describes the progression of such cases as an evolution.
Jamie Morgan, Partner at Fendrick & Morgan, LLC, says “We’ve been providing LGBT couples in New Jersey with the same tax planning strategies that have been used by married heterosexual couples, since gay marriage was legalized here in 2013.”
Morgan continues, “The big news for New Jersey is, now the same sex marriages performed here will be respected everywhere in the US.”
LGBT estate planning is a core component of the estate planning practice at Fendrick & Morgan, LLC. The estate planning boutique Fendrick & Morgan, LLC was established in 2001. The firm helps families of all kinds to plan for their futures. To find out more, the place to visit is http://www.fendrickmorganlaw.com
Release ID: 86477