What are the real benefits of a marriage?

marriage doesn't guarantee anything....not security, not companionship, nothing................and there isn't a soul here that can prove otherwise.

And who are all these fools saying "sex".....EVERYONE is having sex, married or not......the only difference is married people are stuck with the same old, same old.......

Well aside from the obvious love, companionship and such, there are many legal and financial benefits to being married. Insurance, income tax relief, death benefits....a perfect example is a house titled in only one person's name would pass to their family in the event of death (unless there is a will) but if you are married the house is yours. Also, a surviving spouse would be entitled to social security death benefits and such. In the event of separation a house would most likely go to whoever it is titled to but in a marriage the house in most states is community property even if only titled to one or the other.

Many people live together and build a life together and then if they break up they have no protection for the things they worked for because they weren't married and community property does not apply if you only cohabitate.

well, the way i see it is this: if u are living together and things get rough, since ur not Married, u haven't made any vows to each other legal and binding, u can just say "well let's break up then". so if u have invested like 5+ years w/ some guy or girl, and later they get tired of fighting and dont' really wanna work on things, it's sooo much easier to break up w/ someone if u don't have marriage attached.

but, if u get married, u have way more incentives to WORK ON IT. pressure from friends, family, kids, etc, will probably make u try to work together instead of easily wanting to break up. also knowing that u made a vow to eachother in front of God and ur family and friends, i think, gives u something to be Proud of.

good luck to all of us.. we gotta make sure that the person we marry is ALL OF THAT before marriage...that means the dating period, engagement, u can see how u work together and how u think and how u get thru problems together. never think that getting married will solve certain problems: that is the WORST thing to think. u gotta be sure that u are SURE, that u are Excited, that u can't wait to marry this person!!! it should never be seen as a Ball and Chain mentality.. if u feel this way, u are not ready to get married. :) good luck~

Well when the break up comes someone is walking a away with a broken heart and a broken wallet, as opposed to just shacking up

Hello =)

When you are merely "living together"....one thing you know, every day, is that your partner is there because he or she wants to be there, probably because he or she loves you.

When you are married, you never have that guarantee, because there is this legal contract, which says that you are "supposed" to be together. The legal, moral, social, and psychological ramifications of divorce often prevent them from leaving, even though they may no longer "want" to be with you.

Which scenario would you prefer??

I experienced marriage, and kept my vows, until death did us part, all the while knowing that my wife would have left me if she hadn't needed me so much (she needed a nurse, not a husband).

I'll never do it again, because I want to be sure that my girlfriend is with me because she wants to be, and not because she "has" to be......

Namaste,

--Tom

If you are living together you aren't legally bond to just sleep with one person. If you go and have sex with someone you might just get kicked out of the house but at least you won't have to pay alimony.

I think it is just the fact that you REALLY know that you want to spend the rest of your lives together in a committed relationship

In marriage you're truly committed by law and sometimes under God...and in just living together you're not.

I'm all for living in sin. If I'd have just lived with my husband instead of getting married, then I would have lived in sin for 1 month, instead of living in hell for 5 years.

love and companionship. someone to share common dreams and goals with. to share lifes ups and downs. starting a family. and enjoying each others families and becoming one with them. and the most important thing to me is the security of having this wonderful man as my husband.

Tax breaks, combined health insurance, social recognition, emotional satisfaction, death benefits.