eli5: When you are asked to give your relationship status, why are the options all related to marriage? (Single, married, divorced, widowed etc.) Surely the one of the most common answers would in ‘in a relationship’ but not married.
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An additional point related to the legal status, it’s all about a paper trail as well. It keeps random schmucks from claiming they are your SO and therefore make decisions for you, or are entitled to some of your property.
I don’t know the exact legal connections for each, but as single, you share nothing, married shares everything, divorced shares according to the divorce agreement, and widowed owns what belonged to their deceased spouse, but could marry and share with someone else.
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