Marriage, Common-Law & Annulment
Getting married — or undoing a marriage that was never valid — has its own rules. Understand marriage licenses and requirements, whether common-law marriage is recognized where you live, and how annulment differs from divorce, including which marriages can be voided. Recognition and grounds vary by state.
All Marriage, Common-Law & Annulment guides
- Common-Law Marriage and Taxes: Can You Still File Single?
If your state recognizes your common-law marriage, the IRS treats you as married. Here's why you usually can't file single, and what to do.
- Can an Annulment Be Denied? What Happens If You Don't Qualify
Yes, a court can deny an annulment. Learn the common reasons, why mutual agreement isn't enough, and how to fall back to divorce.
- Annulment vs. Divorce: Which One Can You Get?
Annulment treats a marriage as never valid; divorce ends a valid one. Learn which you qualify for, the narrow grounds, and the timing rules.
- Can I Get an Annulment? Who Qualifies and How It Works
Maybe. Annulment is only for marriages that were never legally valid. Learn who qualifies, common grounds, deadlines, and how it differs from divorce.
- Can You Get an Annulment in a Different State?
Yes, you can usually get an annulment in a state other than where you married. Learn residency rules, which state's law decides validity, and how to file.
- Can You Get an Annulment for Cheating or Adultery?
Cheating is almost never grounds for annulment. Learn why adultery usually means a fault-based divorce, the rare fraud exception, and your real next steps.
- What Are the Legal Grounds for Annulment? Fraud, Force, Bigamy & More
Annulment needs specific legal grounds like fraud, force, bigamy, or lack of capacity. Learn what qualifies, how states differ, and what to do next.
- Annulment Time Limits: Can You Annul After Months or Years of Marriage?
Annulment deadlines depend on your state and your legal grounds, not just how long you've been married. Here's how the time limits actually work.
- Can I Change My Child's Last Name When I Get Married or Remarried?
Getting married doesn't auto-change your child's last name. Learn the court petition, other-parent consent rules, and best-interest test by state.
- Child Support for Unmarried Parents: Can You Get It If You Never Married?
Yes - unmarried parents can get child support. Here's how parentage unlocks it, how states calculate the amount, and how it's enforced.
- Am I Common-Law Married? How to Know If You Have a Common-Law Marriage
Common-law marriage isn't about living together 7 years. Learn the real test, which states recognize it, and how to tell if you're legally married.
- Can You Get an Annulment Without a Lawyer or Without Your Spouse Knowing?
Yes, you can file for an annulment yourself without a lawyer, but you almost always must legally notify your spouse. Here is how one-party filing and notice work.
- Can You Get a Divorce Right After Getting Married?
Yes, you can divorce no matter how short the marriage. Here's how quickie divorce works, when annulment is an option, and why timing rules vary by state.
- Can You Get an Annulment After Consummation or After Having Kids?
Yes, in most states sex or children don't automatically block an annulment. Learn the real rules, the grounds that matter, and what kids change.
- Can You Get an Annulment for Abuse or Domestic Violence?
Abuse during marriage usually means divorce, not annulment. Learn the narrow duress/coercion exception, safer options, and urgent steps for survivors.
- Catholic Annulment: Who Qualifies and How It Differs From a Legal Annulment
Yes, Catholics can get an annulment, but it is a Church ruling, not a civil one. Here is who qualifies, the cheating myth, and what it means legally.