Not sure if this has been mentioned before. I did a search for Social Security in this forum and didn't see it.

Anyway I just got my notice from US Social Security concerning the 1.5% increase for next year and, among other things,

Benefits for Same-sex Couples

Due to a Supreme Court Decision, we now are able to pay benefits to some same-sex couples. We encourage people who think they may be eligible to apply now. Learn more at http://www.ssa.gov/same-sexcouples/

And the notice is in pink ??

VERY interesting, since they talk about "a same-sex marriage or other legal same-sex relationship" while previously all the references I have seen here (and the comments from our US experts) have been along the lines that only a "marriage" will be good enough.

While its not yet definitive, its certainly an indicator that "civil unions or other legal same-sex relationships" are not quite condemned to the dustbin of history in the US.

I believe I have said in another thread that eventually Civil Unions and other legal relationships will be viewed as roughly the same way as marriage. Not everyone can 'upgrade' their civil union and there are problems in dissolving a civil union in order to get married. A civil union would be a bona fide marriage, at least for federal gov't purposes.

VERY interesting, since they talk about "a same-sex marriage or other legal same-sex relationship" while previously all the references I have seen here (and the comments from our US experts) have been along the lines that only a "marriage" will be good enough.

While its not yet definitive, its certainly an indicator that "civil unions or other legal same-sex relationships" are not quite condemned to the dustbin of history in the US.

That's good to hear.