Resolving Financial and Property Issues for LGBTQ+ Couples

For many LGBTQ+ couples, years of shared life — from cohabitation to joint finances — took place before marriage was legally recognized. This presentation examines how attorneys can address property division, financial entanglement, and informal agreements in cases where the law has not yet fully recognized the scope of the relationship.

This program explores the legal complexities LGBTQ+ couples face in the wake of marriage equality. Presenters will cover the development of New York’s Marriage Equality Act, key Supreme Court decisions like Windsor and Obergefell, and how these rulings impact recognition of marriages, property division, and parentage.

Through recent case law, including Mackoff v. Bluemke-Mackoff and Kelly S. v. Farah M., the program examines retroactive application of rights, custody, and child support. Attorneys will gain practical insight into representing clients whose relationships began before legal recognition and now intersect with evolving family law frameworks.