Jason Smith and Settimio Pisu were joined in a civil union in Connecticut nearly two years ago. Getting that little legal document acknowledged by local companies, though, has brought a slew of obstacles, from the DMV (when they tried to jointly register a car), and, less surprising, as they've tried to adopt, notes The Hartford Courant.

Their most recent roadblock, however, comes from the tax preparers H&R Block, when the couple tried to file their taxes on their website, only to find the message: "We don't support Connecticut Civil Union returns."

The company, in an effort to avoid the mantle of "H&R Bigots" maintains the message refers to its software, not politics. 

"We are evaluating alternatives to add Domestic Partner support to our TaxCut Online programs in the future. Please be assured that H&R Block values all of its clients and is committed to serving all clients fairly," said the Kansas City, Mo.-based company in a written statement.

Currently, the best offer the tax preparing behemoth is willing to make to accomodate the couple is to prepare their taxes at one of its offices for $199.80 — $155 more than the online price.

"This is yet another example of the many ways that civil unions just don’t live up to marriage," said Smith of Hartford, who has been with his partner Settimio Pisu for six years.  "It really stung when I realized it would cost an additional $150 dollars to have our tax returns prepared.  We’re saving for a house and hoping to start a family, so every penny counts right now."

Enter the American Civil Liberties Union who dashed off a letter to H&R Block, explaining the finer points of discrimination under a Connecticut law that forbids denying "full and equal accommodation" on the basis of sexual orientation or civil-union status.

According to the letter the ACLU sent to H&R Block, failing to provide gay couples with civil unions the option of filing their taxes online as it does for married couples is in violation of state law.  The letter demands that the company adapt its website to accommodate couples with civil unions and to reimburse all couples who were forced to pay the additional charges due to H&R Block’s discriminatory practices.

"The civil union law has been in effect for nearly three years now, yet companies still aren’t taking it seriously," said Andrew Schneider of the ACLU of Connecticut.  "There is no excusable reason why the company that likes to claim it’s the world’s largest tax services provider shouldn’t make its products available to everyone."    

H&R Block claims its competitors have similar problems.

Not so, says Smith, a litigation lawyer with a background in technology.  TurboTax has figured it out, Smith commented to the Courant.

"When you go through their website, not only do they support the return, they tell you it's cheaper to buy" the software, rather than to file online, Smith said.

The reason is that TurboTax charges online for each return, and gay couples in civil unions cannot file joint federal returns.

"They are actually looking out for you and trying to save you money," Smith said. "That's a completely perfect response."