Marriage Records

Marriage records are also available in the county where the wedding took place. This is another vital piece of information for those putting together a family genealogy or simply wishing to research the background on someone like a new boyfriend or potential daughter-in-law. Marriage licenses include pertinent information like the full names and addresses of the bride and groom, the date of the marriage, the county where it took place and the witnesses to the marriage. It might also include the full names of the parents of both the bride and groom. For those who don't want to go through traditional procedures that take some time to complete, marriage records can also be found online. Most marriage record searches will charge a nominal fee for the information.

Why You Need a Marriage Certificate

With so many couples cohabitating, some people wonder why they would need a marriage license or other marriage record. After all, many people choose to simply live together, have kids together, and otherwise act as a married couple without actually signing a piece of paper. However, having a marriage record will entitle you to certain rights, including:

• Benefits – Married couples and any dependents that they have can receive their spouse’s government benefits, including Social Security, disability or unemployment benefits, pensions, and other forms of public assistance.
• Deportation – If a spouse is not a citizen of the U.S., then they can avoid deportation by being married.
• Inheritance – Should the spouse die, the surviving spouse is eligible to receive a share of the estate under intestate succession laws.
• Insurance – You can receive lower family rates if you are married.
• Lawsuits – If you are married, you can sue another party for the wrongful death of your spouse. In some states, you can also sue a third party for interference with the marriage. If you are involved in a court case, you can claim marital communications privilege, which prevents the courts from forcing you to disclose confidential communications that occurred while you were married.
• Life estate trust – Married couples can create a marital life estate trust.
• Medical – If you are married, then you have the right to make medical decisions for your spouse in the event that they cannot make them on their own, such as in extreme disability or injury.
• Tax benefits – Married couples can file jointly, which can affect the amount of taxes due. They can also create a family partnership, which would lower the total tax on business income. They can also claim an estate tax marital deduction.
• Visitation – If you are married, then you will be able to visit your spouse any place that is restricted to immediately family, including intensive care units and jails.

Proof of marriage may be required for the paperwork of some of the items listed above. For instance, if you want to add your new husband or wife to your insurance policy, you may be required to provide proof of marriage. If the wife wants to take her husband’s name after the marriage, she may also be required to provide proof of marriage to do so.