The United States Supreme Court, in United States v. Windsor, struck down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defined marriage for federal purposes as the union between a man and a woman, finding that it violates equal protection and federalism principles.
There are currently an estimated 114,000 legally married same-sex couples in the U.S. Another roughly 535,000 same-sex couples now live in shared households.
Extending Social Security benefits to same-sex couples is a major consequence of the U.S. Supreme Court decision. There are more than 1,000 benefits now enjoyed by heterosexual married couples and their children; the decision may result in these benefits becoming available to same-sex claimants.Read More