Legal marriage conveys upon the couple a wide variety of rights and responsibilities. Because each state creates its own set of marriage laws, the laws number between 170-to-350 depending on the state. Within the Federal system, more than 1,138 laws are triggered by legal marriage.
[See U.S. Federal Laws for the Legally Married.]
The following lists some of the typical rights conferred by the state and federal governments.
|
State-Granted Legal Marriage Rights
|
- Assumption of Spouse�s Pension
- Automatic Inheritance
- Automatic Housing Lease Transfer
- Bereavement Leave
- Burial Determination
- Child Custody
- Crime Victim�s Recovery Benefits
- Divorce Protections
- Domestic Violence Protection
- Exemption from Property Tax on Partner�s Death
- Immunity from Testifying Against Spouse
- Insurance Breaks
- Joint Adoption and Foster Care
- Joint Bankruptcy
- Joint Parenting (Insurance Coverage, School Records)
- Medical Decisions on Behalf of Partner
- Certain Property Rights
- Reduced Rate Memberships
- Sick Leave to Care for Partner
- Visitation of Partner�s Children
- Visitation of Partner in Hospital or Prison
- Wrongful Death (Loss of Consort) Benefits
|
A couple married by a state government is automatically granted a broad range of rights at the federal level. In addition, marriage partners of federal employees, such as civil servants and members of the military, enjoy a broad range of benefits.
|
Federally-Granted Legal Marriage Rights
|
- Access to Military Stores
- Assumption of Spouse�s Pension
- Bereavement Leave
- Immigration
- Insurance Breaks
- Medical Decisions on Behalf of Partner
- Sick Leave to Care for Partner
- Social Security Survivor Benefits
- Sick Leave to Care for Partner
- Tax Breaks
- Veteran�s Discounts
- Visitation of Partner in Hospital or Prison
|
|
Governments that offer Full Legal Marriage
|
Nations
.
Netherlands (2001)
Belgium (2003)
Canada (2005)
Spain (2005)
South Africa (2005)
Norway (2009)
Sweden (2009)
Iceland (2010)
Argentina (2010)
Portugal (2010)
Denmark (2012)
France (2013)
New Zealand (2013)
Brazil (2013)
Uruguay (2013)
New Zealand (2013)
United Kingdom
(England, Wales) (2013)
Luxembourg (2014)
Finland (2014)
Scotland (2014)
Ireland (2015)
Greenland (2015)
United States (2015)
Colombia (2016)
Germany (2017)
Malta (2017)
Australia (2017)
Austria (2019)
Taiwan (2019)
Ecuador (2019)
Costa Rica (2020)
Chile (2022)
Estonia (2023)
Nepal (2023)
Greece (2024)
Thailand (2025)
|
US States
.
U.S. Supreme Court, June 26, 2015 Ruling: All States must allow legal, same-sex marriage.
.
These states had legal marriage before the ruling:
.
Massachusetts (2004)
California (2008)
Connecticut (2008)
Iowa (2009)
Vermont (2009)
New Hampshire (2009)
District of Columbia (2009)
New York (2011)
Maine (2012)
Washington (2012)
Maryland (2013)
Rhode Island (2013)
Delaware (2013)
Minnesota (2013)
Illinois (2013)
Utah (2013)
New Jersey (2013)
Hawaii (2013)
New Mexico (2013)
Michigan (2014) - stayed pending legal challenge
Oregon (2014)
Wisconsin (2014)
Arkansas (2014) - stayed pending legal challenge
Pennsylvania (2014)
Indiana (2014)
Nevada (2014)
Virginia (2014)
Oklahoma (2014)
Idaho (2014)
West Virginia (2014)
Alaska (2014)
Arizona (2014)
Wyoming (2014)
Kansas (2014) - stayed pending legal challenge
Florida (2014)
Colorado (2014)
North Carolina (2014)
South Carolina (2014)
Montana (2014)
Alabama (2015)
|
Native American Tribes
.
Coquille Tribe, Oregon (2009)
Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, Connecticut (2010)
Suquamish Tribe, Washington (2011)
Port Gamble S�Klallam Tribe, Washington (2011)
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan (2013)
Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan (2013)
Santa Ysabel Tribe, California (2013)
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, WA (2013)
Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma (2013)
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Minnesota (2013)
Grand Portage Band of Chippewa, Minnesota (2013)
Puyallup Tribe of Indians, Washington (2014)
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Arizona (2014)
Wind River Indian Reservation, Wyoming (2014)
Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Montana (2014)
San Carlos Apache Tribe, Arizona (2014)
Fort McDermitt Paiute & Shoshone Tribes, OR & NV (2014)
Fort McDowell Yavapai Community, Arizona (2014)
Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, WI (2014)
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (2014)
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (2014)
Pascua Yaqui Tribe (2014)
Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, & Siuslaw Indians (2014)
Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes, Alaska (2015)
Oneida Nation, Wisconsin (2015)
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians (2015)
Chemehuevi Indian Tribe (2015)
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde (2015)
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians (2015)
Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe (2016)
Oglala Sioux Tribe (2016)
Tulalip Tribe, Washington (2016)
Menominee Nation (2016)
Cherokee Nation (2016)
|
|