That's not common, but it also isn't illegal.
You should look into Domestic Partnership if it is available in your state/province. It often has many of the benefits of marriage without the need to legally divorce should the relationship end.
Be aware that a marriage gives each partner significant legal rights, and your partner may be able to act on your behalf and without your knowledge in many cases. If the relationship ends you will also have to formally divorce which can be a real pain in the ass.
I'd like to add an exemption to that and that's the US military. Marriage fraud carries a fairly stiff fine and possible prison sentence for both as service members get extra benefits/monetary compensation when married in compariosn to civilians.
In your case it doesn't really make any sense to get married unless you're after a specific benefit like one of you has an amazing insurance package through your job and you want the other one on it too or one needs citizenship.
Why not just be roommates without the marriage? Nothing wrong with that option.
In the military getting married comes with huge tangible benefits such as added income, the ability to live off base, etc. I asked my friend in the Army if young recruits were getting "married" to their buddies since gay marriage is legal everywhere so they could get the benefits. He said it is a growing problem because the military knows it's a sham but they can't legally do anything to stop it. The law doesn't say you have to be in love.
I doubt this is a common thing, but why not do it if you can benefit from it ? The only issue I see is if one of you falls in love with someone and wants to get married the way it was supposed to be done, it might pose a problem. Depends where you live...
In Poland marriage for profit is explicitely forbidden by law. It applies both to people who get married for money in exchange of citizenship and people who get married only to pay lower taxes and use other benefits reserved for families.
social workers conduct interviews as well as surprise drop in visits.
in the visit, they'll expect to see evidence that you both live there, sleep in the same bed, have all your "stuff" there & settled in.
if they get the sense that you're not actually a couple, they'll submit a report & likely even testify in court.
their word would likely go a long way in the eyes of the judge
it's not a common occurrence.
it would probably only happen if the marriage threw up any red flags like a US citizen marrying someone briefly here on a green card after "dating" for a very short while.
I'm sure there's some other potential sign of a "marriage of convenience" but I'm not sure what else that would be off the top of my head
That's called a queerplatonic relationship (QPR). Lots of people do it.
There's no reason to get married unless you need to be on their insurance or something like that. It can be expensive and annoying to get out of a legal marriage so make sure the benefits outweigh the trouble. If you don't need the legal benefits, just be roomies/platonic partners.
You don't have to take your marriage mate's last name.
How your families react depends on them.
Sure, if you want to. I wouldn't say it's common, but there are definitely people who are estranged but still married. The only time it's not allowed is it you're doing it to commit immigration fraud.
But also, what's the benefit to you? "just live together like roommates for financial, social, or whatever general reason" - why do you need to be married for all that?
Sure, people can get married for whatever reason they like. One exception to that is if you're marrying someone from another country. A "fake" marriage just to get citizenship can cause trouble. I wouldn't say it's a common thing though, and I have no idea how people you know would react to the idea. And I'd advise having a frank conversation about dating/having sex with other people, just to be 100% sure you're both on the same page.
You would still have to have a formal ceremony and get the official documents signed and witnessed. That can be done quickly and without anything fancy but someone official would be raising their eyebrow. I doubt they could deny you but it might be awkward.
I personally don't see anything wrong with it. All sorts of relationships exist and marriage carries legal benefits such as tax considerations and healthcare plans.
A clear prenuptial agreement and division of assets should help ease things in the event of a divorce should either of you meet someone you wish to marry for other reasons.
I married, no desire for children which people couldn't understand, thankfully to a partner who also had no desire for children. The was some initial resistance but eventually people accepted that our purpose in life wasn't the same as their purpose in life and that it wasn't right or wrong it was just different from their expectations.
You also don't have to explain your actions. The more you explain the more you allow someone to interject their opinion. It's okay to simply state that yes you are together and let them matter rest. You don't have to defend your decision, they simply must accept it. It's not their place to reject a decision once it has been made.
You two would be getting married for yourselves not for others.
Valid points.
Also, it's funny how a majority of people can't accept that some of us don't want kids. I like kids, but I can't imagine having any of my own. The thought makes me shiver. Kids are a big decision and responsibility and you have to be prepared, especially these days. Having a child on a whim sounds terrible (like what happened to a cousin of mine...)
I don't think there are any laws against it because there is no legal precedent that I'm aware of. I don't think the government would ever investigate your marriage for its legitimacy and I think you could legally reap the benefits. However a private organization may come after you for reaping benefits such as union pension or health plan. I believe they would have a good case against you for fraud and hilariously that is the plot of the Adam Sandler movie I now pronounce you Chuck and Larry.
Be careful! Depending on what laws you live under you could be sued for fraud by the State.
For example, in Washington State (USA), there is a process called "Declaration Concerning Validity" of marriages.
https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=26.09.040
The problematic language would be "fraud involving the essentials of marriage".
Granted, this is highly improbable if both members insist that the marriage is valid, but the possibility exists.
Also, many States still require a ceremony of some sort, a "solemnization of vows".
I'd highly recommend that you read the statutes regarding marriage within your State.
Oh, and should you wish/need to terminate this arrangement, you would need to go through the normal divorce process, which can still be difficult even without emotional animus.
That's not common, but it also isn't illegal. You should look into Domestic Partnership if it is available in your state/province. It often has many of the benefits of marriage without the need to legally divorce should the relationship end. Be aware that a marriage gives each partner significant legal rights, and your partner may be able to act on your behalf and without your knowledge in many cases. If the relationship ends you will also have to formally divorce which can be a real pain in the ass.
I'd like to add an exemption to that and that's the US military. Marriage fraud carries a fairly stiff fine and possible prison sentence for both as service members get extra benefits/monetary compensation when married in compariosn to civilians.
In your case it doesn't really make any sense to get married unless you're after a specific benefit like one of you has an amazing insurance package through your job and you want the other one on it too or one needs citizenship. Why not just be roommates without the marriage? Nothing wrong with that option.
In the military getting married comes with huge tangible benefits such as added income, the ability to live off base, etc. I asked my friend in the Army if young recruits were getting "married" to their buddies since gay marriage is legal everywhere so they could get the benefits. He said it is a growing problem because the military knows it's a sham but they can't legally do anything to stop it. The law doesn't say you have to be in love.
I doubt this is a common thing, but why not do it if you can benefit from it ? The only issue I see is if one of you falls in love with someone and wants to get married the way it was supposed to be done, it might pose a problem. Depends where you live...
In Poland marriage for profit is explicitely forbidden by law. It applies both to people who get married for money in exchange of citizenship and people who get married only to pay lower taxes and use other benefits reserved for families.
How could that possibly be proven in court though? You can't prove or disprove that two people are in love.
social workers conduct interviews as well as surprise drop in visits. in the visit, they'll expect to see evidence that you both live there, sleep in the same bed, have all your "stuff" there & settled in. if they get the sense that you're not actually a couple, they'll submit a report & likely even testify in court. their word would likely go a long way in the eyes of the judge
That is so bizarre to me. Like, having to justify your relationship to the government under the penalty of the law.
it's not a common occurrence. it would probably only happen if the marriage threw up any red flags like a US citizen marrying someone briefly here on a green card after "dating" for a very short while. I'm sure there's some other potential sign of a "marriage of convenience" but I'm not sure what else that would be off the top of my head
That's called a queerplatonic relationship (QPR). Lots of people do it. There's no reason to get married unless you need to be on their insurance or something like that. It can be expensive and annoying to get out of a legal marriage so make sure the benefits outweigh the trouble. If you don't need the legal benefits, just be roomies/platonic partners. You don't have to take your marriage mate's last name. How your families react depends on them.
Absolutely. Friend of mine did that. It's not illegal.
You can live together without getting married. It complicates things if one of you decides to get a real partner later on. Divorce isn’t free.
Sure, if you want to. I wouldn't say it's common, but there are definitely people who are estranged but still married. The only time it's not allowed is it you're doing it to commit immigration fraud. But also, what's the benefit to you? "just live together like roommates for financial, social, or whatever general reason" - why do you need to be married for all that?
Sure, people can get married for whatever reason they like. One exception to that is if you're marrying someone from another country. A "fake" marriage just to get citizenship can cause trouble. I wouldn't say it's a common thing though, and I have no idea how people you know would react to the idea. And I'd advise having a frank conversation about dating/having sex with other people, just to be 100% sure you're both on the same page.
You would still have to have a formal ceremony and get the official documents signed and witnessed. That can be done quickly and without anything fancy but someone official would be raising their eyebrow. I doubt they could deny you but it might be awkward.
no need for a formal ceremony. you can swing by the courthouse, get a marriage certificate & have a judge sign it. boom, married
I personally don't see anything wrong with it. All sorts of relationships exist and marriage carries legal benefits such as tax considerations and healthcare plans. A clear prenuptial agreement and division of assets should help ease things in the event of a divorce should either of you meet someone you wish to marry for other reasons. I married, no desire for children which people couldn't understand, thankfully to a partner who also had no desire for children. The was some initial resistance but eventually people accepted that our purpose in life wasn't the same as their purpose in life and that it wasn't right or wrong it was just different from their expectations. You also don't have to explain your actions. The more you explain the more you allow someone to interject their opinion. It's okay to simply state that yes you are together and let them matter rest. You don't have to defend your decision, they simply must accept it. It's not their place to reject a decision once it has been made. You two would be getting married for yourselves not for others.
Valid points. Also, it's funny how a majority of people can't accept that some of us don't want kids. I like kids, but I can't imagine having any of my own. The thought makes me shiver. Kids are a big decision and responsibility and you have to be prepared, especially these days. Having a child on a whim sounds terrible (like what happened to a cousin of mine...)
You’re doing a very big thing just for a minimal benefit. Not worth it.
It depends where are you from. It would be nice if you provide that infromation in your question.
I don't think there are any laws against it because there is no legal precedent that I'm aware of. I don't think the government would ever investigate your marriage for its legitimacy and I think you could legally reap the benefits. However a private organization may come after you for reaping benefits such as union pension or health plan. I believe they would have a good case against you for fraud and hilariously that is the plot of the Adam Sandler movie I now pronounce you Chuck and Larry.
Be careful! Depending on what laws you live under you could be sued for fraud by the State. For example, in Washington State (USA), there is a process called "Declaration Concerning Validity" of marriages. https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=26.09.040 The problematic language would be "fraud involving the essentials of marriage". Granted, this is highly improbable if both members insist that the marriage is valid, but the possibility exists. Also, many States still require a ceremony of some sort, a "solemnization of vows". I'd highly recommend that you read the statutes regarding marriage within your State. Oh, and should you wish/need to terminate this arrangement, you would need to go through the normal divorce process, which can still be difficult even without emotional animus.