More than 15,000 couples married in California after the California Supreme Court legalized marriage in May of 2008, and many more have married in Massachusetts, New York and six other states in recent years. Further, nearly one-half of the U.S. population lives in a state with some form of legal recognition for same sex couples - with more than 40% of these states' couples having registered their relationships. Authored by a Frederick Hertz, a nationally recognized expert in same-sex relationship law, the updated 2nd edition of Making it Legal is a comprehensive, easy to understand guide to the past, present and future of same-sex law in America. Making It Legal offers lesbians and gay men a comprehensive review of all of the issues that influence the decision to marry or state-register and helps the reader navigate the complexity of same-sex laws and understand the newest legal options while providing practical guidance on how to make one of the most important decisions in one's lifetime. Making It Legal provides a brief history of the same-sex marriage movement, a survey of the current legal landscape and a view towards emerging trends and targets, and moves on to a discussion of the factors involved in the personal decision to marry along with the issues that every married couple may face: . Is a pre-nup agreement advisable and what does it involve? . How to evaluate the effect of taxes on shared lives? . When is a will or trust needed? . What are the special needs of couples with kids? . When to turn to professionals for help during disagreements? . How best to work with stepparents, past partners, and the blended family . and much more!
