Colorado Eases Estate Planning Laws for Gay and Unwed Couples

Staff Writer April 13, 2009

As more and more states loosen their laws regarding gay rights and the right to a same-sex marriage, many are also coming to question other laws that benefit heterosexual married couples. For example, the issues of shared healthcare, joint tax returns and even estate planning are being reconsidered.

The state of Colorado recently passed a bill that made it easier for unmarried people, including gay couples, to plan their estates as a joint effort. Such a change is seen by many, including the governor of Colorado, Bill Ritter, to be a low-cost option for people to put their end-of-life matters in order. The bill will allow unmarried couples to purchase property and to make medical decisions, such as the highly controversial decision to take a partner off of life support in the event of a coma. It will also grant same-sex couples, as well as unmarried couples the option to purchase joint life insurance and retirement plan disbursements.

This new set of laws is expected to make big changes for unmarried and homosexual couples in the state of Colorado and may very well set a precedent for other states in the U.S. Gay rights activists around the country are pushing for such changes.