The marital relationship has wide-ranging impact throughout the legal world. Inheritance, creditor liability, personal liability, tax liability, employment benefits, Medicaid benefits, social security benefits—to name but a few—are all impacted by one’s marital status.

Providing appropriate legal advice can depend on knowing the marital status of a client and the beginning date of marriage. The determination is fairly straightforward when the client is in a formal marriage. However, Texas is one of a few remaining states that also recognizes informal or common law marriage. For clients who are or may be in a common law marriage, determining whether there is a marital relationship and the date the relationship began is far more complicated.