As same-sex marriage becomes legal in New York — a world financial capital that often sets the corporate tone for businesses everywhere, and a city with a large gay and lesbian community — companies and individuals are wrestling with the changing complexities of their financial realities.

For straight couples, the choice has generally been to marry or not to marry, period. But conflicting state and federal marriage laws and questions about corporate benefits policies make financial planning decisions much less cut-and-dried for many gay couples.

Jason Ganns, an accountant from Albany, figures getting married will save him $350 to $450 a year in state income taxes — after a devil of a time reconciling those forms with his federal return, on which he won’t be considered married. [Read more...]

A poor Filipino blacksmith’s son who stands less than 2 feet (60 centimeters) tall was declared the world’s shortest man by Guinness World Records on his 18th birthday Sunday, sparking a celebration in his hometown.

The title was bestowed on Junrey Balawing in Sindangan on the Philippines southern coast, with Balawing’s parents, villagers and officials showering the town’s newly famous resident with a feast, a cake, balloons and cash gifts.

Balawing measured 23.5 inches (60 centimeters) during the ceremony attended by about 100 villagers and journalists. Guinness World Records representative Craig Glenday presented Balawing with official recognition of his status as the shortest adult man in the world.

Balawing, who wore infant-sized shoes and a white shirt emblazoned with the Guinness seal, took over the title from Khagendra Thapa Magar of Nepal, who is 26.4 inches (67 centimeters) tall, Glenday said.

Sindangan, about 450 miles (730 kilometers) south of Manila, has not had so much attention in years — with dozens of journalists descending on this fishing and farming town of 90,000 to cover the event. [Read more...]