Financial Considerations for Same-Sex Couples*

Gay and lesbian couples face unique financial, legal and estate planning concerns. Understanding the impact of various layers of law on same-sex couples family dynamics, asset ownership and structuring, and workplace benefits is essential for proper planning and protection. This workshop will address these matters and offer strategies for utilizing planning tools such as domestic partnership agreements, wills, powers of attorney, trusts and other important financial documents.

January 10, 2011
12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Dobbs University Center, Harland Cinema
Facilitators: Lambda Legal – Holiday Simmons, Community Educator, and Judi O'Kelley, Director of Life Planning (national position), Western Regional Office

Download event flier

Judi O'Kelley is the Director of Life Planning and Director of Law School Development for Lambda Legal, the nation's oldest and largest legal organization dedicated to the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV. She lives and works in Seattle, Washington. Judi brings more than 17 years of political and legal experience working for equality within the LGBT community. In 2004, she served as President and Campaign Chair for the campaign for the Athens, Georgia area in opposition to Georgia's constitutional amendment banning same-sex unions. Judi also was the lead plaintiff from 2004-2006 in the case of O'Kelley v. Perdue, in which Lambda Legal, the Georgia ACLU, and the law firm of Alston & Bird sought to strike down Georgia’s anti-marriage amendment.

She was the founding President of Just Equal, the Athens-area political group dedicated to ending discrimination against individuals and families based upon sexual orientation and gender identity, and is a member of the team which successfully lobbied for non-discrimination protections and domestic partnership benefit programs for Athens-Clarke County employees in 2006. She is a past member of Georgia Equality's Political Action Committee, and is a cofounder of Athens Pride, a coalition of 17 Athens-area LGBT-allied groups.

*This program is part of the “Finance Matters” Series co-sponsored by Emory HR Benefits, FSAP and WorkLife Resource Center.