For many people today, marriage does not represent the same culmination of a relationship that it once did. More and more couples decide they want to build a life together but not within the confines of a legal marriage. Couples say that the institution feels antiquated or exclusionary; they don’t need a contract or piece of paper to validate their relationship; they don’t want to deal with a potential divorce. All of this raises several questions. Who does marriage benefit? Who does marriage hurt? Are there ways to enjoy some of the same privileges of marriage without getting legally married?

There are certain benefits of marriage that are almost universally a plus; in fact, marriage confers over 1,000 rights to married people. When a married person is hospitalized, her spouse has the right to be by her side as next of kin. Married people can transfer money between each other without tax consequences and may file their taxes jointly, which for many people is financially beneficial. Married couples can take family medical leave to care for each other.