Domestic Partnerships & Civil Unions | Massachusetts

Although it is a term used in many contexts, “domestic partnership” most often means a status that recognizes an unmarried couple and their children as a family for certain limited purposes, most commonly employee benefits, like health insurance. Some employers still offer these benefits to unmarried couples, although many employers stopped offering these benefits once same-sex couples had the ability to marry.

Yes. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that Massachusetts courts must give the same respect to civil unions and registered domestic partnerships as marriages, with rights and obligations functionally identical to marriage.

Probably not. While several cities and towns have done so in the past, a court ruling in 1999 found that Boston did not have the power to expand the reach of the state insurance laws by including domestic partners in the group health system (Connors v. Boston, 430 Mass. 31 (1999)). Amherst has continued its domestic partner program by buying individual health insurance policies for the partners of Amherst employees who previously had group health coverage through the town. Several other cities and towns have also continued to provide coverage.

Private employers can provide many benefits to domestic partners, such as health insurance, family medical or bereavement leave, equal pension benefits, relocation expenses, or access to company facilities.

Even when employers provide these benefits, though, federal and state laws require different tax treatment of the benefits for domestic partners as compared to spouses. For example, an employee must pay federal and state income tax on the value of their partner’s health insurance benefits (unless the partner is a tax dependent), but a spouse does not. Partners do not qualify as spouses under federally-controlled Flexible Spending Accounts unless the partner is also a tax dependent.

As for pensions, under the Federal Pension Protection Act of 2006, employers may amend their 401(k) plans so that non-spouse beneficiaries may retain the asset as a retirement asset. If a plan is so amended, beneficiaries may “roll over” the 401(k) into an IRA depending upon the employee’s death. In contrast, previous law required the beneficiary to take and pay income taxes on the 401(k) as a lump sum.

然而，联邦法律在养老金方面仍然存在其他歧视性方面。如果同居伴侣决定指定他人为养老金受益人，同居伴侣无权签字，但配偶则拥有该权利。此外，同居伴侣也没有与配偶同等的权利，在其伴侣指定他人领取遗属抚恤金的指定上签字。

Probably not. Although the non-discrimination law says that an employer can’t discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in terms of compensation, and even though employee benefits are a form of compensation, the law contains an express exemption for employee benefits (Laws 1989, chap. 516, sec. 19). Thus, an employer 可能 provide domestic partner benefits if it chooses to do so, but it probably cannot be forced to do so through the state non-discrimination law.

Yes. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that civil unions and registered domestic partnerships with rights and obligations functionally identical to marriage will be accorded the same respect as marriages by Massachusetts’ courts.

有各种法律文件可以保护夫妻关系，无论夫妻之间没有正式的法律关系还是已经结婚。

1. 关系协议或合同： A couple has the option of drafting a written cohabitation agreement, outlining their respective rights with regards to property, finances, and other aspects of their relationship. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has held that these agreements are generally enforceable and will be respected according to ordinary rules of contract law. Although such agreements may concern the custody and support of children, a court will not uphold any agreement it finds to contravene the child’s best interests. Finally, couples should note that if they eventually marry, a previous relationship agreement will likely no longer be valid, and any post-marital agreement will be enforceable only to the extent that it is fair and equitable to both parties.

2. 授权书： A couple can choose to grant each other the durable power of attorney, allowing one partner to make financial decisions on the other’s behalf in the event of incapacity or disability. The requirements are minimal: any competent person may appoint another person as their “attorney-in-fact”. If no such appointment is made, a family member will be empowered to make decisions for the incapacitated individual.

If one partner is incapacitated or disabled, the other partner may petition the court to be appointed as their guardian in order to make decisions on their behalf. Unless good cause dictates otherwise, a court should grant guardianship to whoever has durable power of attorney over the incapacitated person.58 Thus, couples are encouraged to grant each other durable power of attorney if they believe guardianship will one day be necessary. It is important to note that an individual’s choice can only be rejected for good cause—a court should not substitute its own judgment just because a family member objects to the appointment.

3. Health Care Proxy: A couple can also choose to appoint each other as health care proxies, allowing them to make medical decisions on one another’s behalf in the event of an emergency. Absent a health care proxy appointment, medical care providers look to next-of-kin to make health care decisions for an incapacitated individual. Thus, if an unmarried couple wants to make decisions for one another, they need a health care proxy. Health care proxies can be revoked at any time, either by creating a new health care proxy or by a clear expression of revocation. People often give a copy of the health care proxy to their doctors, and sometimes to family members. You can find a sample Health Care Proxy form here: Massachusetts Medical Society: Health Care Proxy Information and Forms.

4. 将要： Without a will, a deceased unmarried person’s property passes to: (1) their children; (2) their family; (3) if next-of-kin cannot be located, to the state. If a person wishes to provide for others, such as their partner, a will is essential. Even if a person has few possessions, they can name in the will who will administer their estate. If a person has children, they can also nominate the future guardian of the child in a will.

5. 葬礼计划文件： Upon death, a person’s body is given to their next-of-kin. This can mean that a person’s own partner has no right to remove the body or make plans for a final resting place. But if a person leaves explicit written directions giving another person (such as their partner or a friend) control over the funeral and burial arrangements, any confusion can be avoided. Some people include these instructions as part of a will, but since a will may not be found for days after death, it is preferable to give the instructions to the person you want to take care of matters, as well as to family members.

6. 生前遗嘱： Within a health care proxy, language may be inserted stating what the individual wishes regarding termination of life support, preferences for types of medical care, or limits on the agent’s authority.

Temporary Agent or Guardianship: Parents, particularly those with life-threatening illnesses, may either appoint a temporary agent61 for a period not exceeding 60 days, or appoint a guardian whose appointment takes effect when the parent dies or is unable to care for the child. Within 30 days after the appointment of a guardian, the guardian must petition the Probate and Family Court for confirmation of the appointment. The parent has the right to revoke the powers of the temporary agent or guardian at any point.

GLAD 建议与律师合作处理这些文件。

虽然表格可用，但表格可能不适合您个人的需求和愿望。此外，律师或许能够更好地帮助您实现目标，例如，通过起草遗嘱，使其更有可能避免因家庭成员不满而提出的遗嘱异议，或者指定一位提供非常具体指示的医疗代理人。此外，律师还可以帮助解决因这些文件之间存在重叠部分而产生的法律不确定性。GLAD Answers 可以为您推荐 GLAD 律师转介服务的成员律师。

分居时，如果夫妻双方有关系协议或伴侣关系协议/合同，则将依据其条款进行分割，夫妻双方的资产将按照协议进行分割。如果没有协议，未婚夫妻可能被迫就财产和财务问题进行昂贵且旷日持久的诉讼。

请注意：如果您改变了主意，不再选择您的“事实上的律师”、医疗保健代表、遗嘱受益人或执行人、葬礼策划人、监护人或指定文件下的指定人，则应撤销这些文件（并通知所有获得这些文件副本的人员），并准备反映您当前意愿的新文件。

有孩子的同性伴侣分手后应该：

1. Support the rights of LGBTQ+ parents
2. Honor existing relationships regardless of legal labels
3. Honor the children’s existing parental relationships after the break-up
4. Maintain continuity for the children
5. Seek a voluntary resolution
6. Remember that breaking up is hard to do
7. Investigate allegations of abuse
8. Not allow the absence of agreements or legal relationships to determine outcomes
9. Treat litigation as a last resort
10. Refuse to resort to homophobic/transphobic laws and sentiments to achieve a desired result

有关这些标准的更多详细信息，请参阅出版物《保护家庭：LGBTQ+ 家庭标准》，网址为： 保护家庭：LGBTQ+ 家庭标准.