Is the Court ruling retroactive?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

Inheritance taxes might have been paid last year, or five years ago, or ten. Can those be recovered?

Social security was not paid when a partner or spouse died. Can those payments be started now? Can past unpaid benefits be collected?

I'm sure there are other benefits that were denied, some dealing with health benefits, retirement pay, etc,

[MADem]

1. That's a very good question.

The woman who was protesting about having to pay the taxes will be able to benefit, because she was petitioning the court for that specific redress... but I don't know the answer for all the others who have been shafted down the years.

This wasn't a "class action," was it? It was just a single (well, married, widowed) person with an inheritance tax grievance, am I correct...?

I saw that woman on the telly...I could not believe her age! She looked much, much younger!

[PoliticAverse]

2. What Will Supreme Court Decision On DOMA Mean For The IRS?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/leonardburman/2013/06/26/what-will-supreme-court-decision-on-doma-mean-for-the-irs/

Note there is a 3-year limit for Amended returns:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/n989.pdf

2. What is the time limit for filing an amended return?
Generally, a Form 1040X must be filed within 3 years after the date you filed the original return or within 2 years
after the date you paid the tax, whichever is later, if your amended return will decrease your tax.
You generally have 3 years after the date you filed the original return if your amended return will increase your tax.
A return filed before the due date is considered filed on the due date.
If an amended return is received after the statute for filing it has expired, the amended return will not be
accepted.

[stevenleser]

3. I'm very curious about these and other questions. I am of course going to cover this story

for my show this week and want to get as many of the details as possible.