President Obama's endorsement of marriage equality was a thrilling moment in the history of LGBT rights, but until his support is echoed by the Supreme Court, same-sex couples need to be vigilant about their finances -- and be prepared for extra paperwork. Here's a simple checklist.

Mr. President, no taxpayer should have to go through this sort of harassment ever again. Distress understates the case. I'm sad beyond sad that I have to defend my marriage, my choice of profession, and my integrity to my own government.

I choose to share my story because of the truly astonishing number of well-meaning people, both inside and outside the LGBT community, who have absolutely no clue that same-sex couples incur federal tax penalties even when they live in states that recognize their marriages.

Gay and lesbian Americans are still forced, in many cases, to abide by laws and regulations that require them to hide their true identities and demean their lifestyles. A glaring example would be the filing of an annual tax return under the United States Tax Code.

Whether on tax returns or customs forms, in the muddle of contradictory, nonsensical, and infuriating laws, married gay couples are refusing to identify as "single." Quietly, couples are refusing to deny their spouses and are willing to enter legally murky territory to take a stand.

On Oct. 19 the IRS published an FAQ for same-sex couples in which it reiterated that in the Internal Revenue Code, "marriage" means a marriage between a man and a woman. But if the Supreme Court rules that Section 3 of DOMA is unconstitutional, then the FAQ will be incorrect.