Married Life Partners.

I've been thinking about the future recently.
It won't be any day too soon but I want to propose to Cherry. I want to put a ring on her finger and make her my bride. But there is a problem.

Gay marriage is not legal here in Georgia (last I checked yesterday). Even if we get married in another state and move back, our marriage won't be recognized by the state. We won't have any of the benefits married people do. I'd prefer if I didn't have to move to another state because so we aren't so far away from our families.

So I ask you, is there anything I should know about simply being Life Partners rather than a legally married couple?

Though I'm not from US, it shouldn't be that different here than there.


- Neither have shared inheritance.

Everything at the name of the one who died will go to forced inheritance: children > wife >> brothers > parents >> grandparents* >> uncles*, with * is only forced in some states/countries and >> means they don't receive anything unless all before doesn't applies. In some states/countries everyone posses a % of free inheritance they can leave for whoever they wish, both can leave it to each other if applies.


- Children.

If one had a children beforehand or gets pregnant and father doesn't exist (most commonly by in vitro with anonymous sperm donator), then that children is of the one who had it. Though it's physically possible to adopt the children of the other in that case, you're up to the arbitrary criteria of your respective judiciary system, so it can fail and often does. If father exists (and can even happen with anonymous donators, though it's almost impossible if you ask secrecy), they can claim the children in any scenario.

As for abandoned children adoption comes, you can't adopt as a couple, but at least one of you can try an attempt at adopting. It's tricky, hard and may or not work depending how you try it and judiciary system, but it's possible and works for some.


- Ownership

In most places you can share ownership with whorever you wish, though in some states/countries you can only do so with family (including wife). In case of shared ownership both parties holds a 50%, so if inheritance or anything else comes, it will just grab the 50% of the affected party. Depending as well of state/country, you may or not share a bank account (though accounts for couples are often granted benefits, less interest and more capacity, you don't have too many room to discuss those). Things at only the name of one aren't shared in any way.


- Sharing

You doesn't possess any benefit for couples. It varies a lot between states/countries, but there are often a few benefits there and here like shared postnatal, tax exemptions and other small things like that (prison visits and a lot of more detail). Though it depends of each company and so, most likely you can't share health insurance and that's a huge save that's lost.


- Legal

You aren't a couple by law (and so you don't participate like that on polls, statistics or anything). If anything happens to neither, like an accident, legal problems or anything, your place to help/support the other will only be taken in account as a friend at most (unless person hearing you truly believes you). This includes how health care will be taken, as family can override any decision you may take if the other is unconscious.


We can't marry here on Chile neither (lesbian~), but we approved a few weeks ago an Union Civil Pact that's a sort of mid point between marriage and single that does allow same-sex unions, so I feel really happy about it! (Though we're still fighting for marriage as well.) I really hope on your state (or on federal level) approves same-sex marriage soon, too!

I think even if you can't marry legally, if you really wish to marry her in the future, you can do a petty symbolic marriage ceremony~ I mean, even there are some churches who will marry you, too! After all I think it's just a thing of time you can make it legal as well, so it's more about wait and work as a team with love and responsibility. I wish you the best~! ❤.

Note: If someone have family support, you can ask (trust only) to the family to give their force inheritance part to the partner, just like respect your/her will for health/legal. You can also reach to agreements to receive some extra support to compensate the lack of some benefits, like health insurance. You can also ask friends and co-workers to respect both as you were already married so they can talk of both like that for police or anything related.

Thank you NyaraLittleHeartIcon.

I heard by the end of the year, a bill is going to be put before Congress to make gay marriage legal in all states in the U.S.

edit: Found something on it.
http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/02/05/boehner-says-he-expects-party-to-accept-gay-marriage-ruling/?_r=0

Good to know. I hope that goes well. Thank you.

You're welcome~



Awesome.