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What you need to do to change or keep your name after marriage.  • Legal Faqs •  Legal Effects of Marriage, What it means to you • What Makes our Marriage Legal? • Marriage Requirements, What you need to know •
Pre Marital Agreements •  State by State Marriage Liscense Requirements • Tax Tips to lighten your Tax Load • Know each other's assets and debts
 

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Legal Effects of Marriage
Reprinted with permission from Nolo Press


What are the legal rights and benefits conferred by marriage?
Marriage entails many rights and benefits, including the right to:
  • file joint income tax returns with the IRS and state taxing authorities
  • create a "family partnership" under federal tax laws, which allows you to divide business income among family members (this will often lower the total tax on the income)
  • create a marital life estate trust
  • receive spouses and dependents Social Security, disability, unemployment, veterans', pension and public assistance benefits
  • receive a share of your deceased spouse's estate under intestate succession laws
  • claim an estate tax marital deduction
  • sue a third person for wrongful death of your spouse and loss of consortium
  • sue a third person for offenses that interfere with the success of your marriage, such as alienation of affection and criminal conversation (these lawsuits are available in only a few states)
  • receive family rates for insurance
  • avoid the deportation of a non-citizen spouse
  • enter hospital intensive care units, jails and other places where visitors are restricted to immediate family
  • live in neighborhoods zoned for "families only"
  • make medical decisions about your spouse in the event of disability, and
  • claim the marital communications privilege, which means a court can't force you to disclose the contents of confidential communications between you and your spouse during your marriage.
 

 
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