A definitive guide to marriage and marital arrangements
Getting married is a legally-binding relationship.
In some cases, it might make more sense to not get married or enter into another type of marital arrangement.
In this post, we’re covering the different types of marriages and marital arrangements.
What Is Marriage?
Marriage is a legally-binding relationship between two people.
In the US, this means the couple now have a number of legal responsibilities and rights, including:
- Inheriting property from each other
- Making medical and financial decisions for each other
- Ability to open a joint bank account and/or tax return
- Ability to foster and adopt children together
- Sponsoring each other for immigration purposes.
In most societies, marriage is considered a social and cultural institution that is an important part of the community. It is typically marked by a formal ceremony, during which the couple makes vows to each other in the presence of friends, family, and a qualified officiant, such as a minister, rabbi, or justice of the peace.
Same-Sex Marriage
Same-sex marriage is a legally recognized union of two people of the same sex.
On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a landmark ruling in the Obergefell v. Hodges case, which recognized that same-sex couples have the same fundamental right to marry as opposite-sex couples in all 50 states.
This requires states to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. This means that same-sex couples have the same legal rights and responsibilities as opposite-sex couples when it comes to marriage.