Same-sex couples in Maryland, D.C. face homeownership issues

There are property laws and tax implications when same-sex couples in Maryland and the District purchase a home together or transfer ownership rights of an existing property, legal experts said.

Maryland has joined the District of Columbia in recognizing marriage between same-sex couples at the state level, but the federal government does not, and benefits available to opposite-sex couples, such as tax-free transfers of ownership, do not apply.