What is the purpose of legal marriage? You can have kids and live together without marriage. You can change your name without marriage.
by 
Jackstain
ANSWERS: 3
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The main reason for civil marriage is establishing your spouse as next of kin. Particularly important in the case of death or unconsciousness. If you are marries, your spouse is your legal next of kin; if not, it remains your parents or siblings, who can to some extend (depending upon jurisdiction) dispossess your partner.
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There are quite a few legal ramifications of marriage. Inheritace taxes between spouses are wery low (the widow have a chance to keep on living in 'their' house.) Children can alway inherit from their mother, but to inherit from their father he and mum needs to be married. If spouse or children are injured and sent to a hospital you can only *demand* visiting rights if you are their next-of-kin by marriage. In many countries married people get a tax break just for being married (Here in Denmark i have a 2-person deduction because I am married). If your not-married wife dies, any of your not-inlaws have a greater right to take and foster your children than you do as a not-married husband. there are many more. (and it is largely these things gays are campaigning to get for their marriages/partnerships, same as straights do automatically) regards JakobA
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Tax benefits and other fiscal ramifications (I stole the word from Jakob).
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