Polymarriage and its effect on laws. How significant?
Thinking about marriages that might be made up of more than two people, I wonder how such marriages would be handled within our state and federal legal structures. I'm sure I can't think of all the laws that would be affected and need changes, but here are some of the ones that occur to me, right off the bat. If you can think of others, please add to the list in replies to this thread:
Tax Laws - Joint filings and dependent deductions are one area that would require change. Our current tax laws don't cover more than two people being married to each other, and dependents are based on a two-person marriage and resulting children, for the most part, as well. This would probably require changes across a wide range of tax laws and forms.
Inheritance - Currently, married couples automatically inherit estates of a spouse who has died if no will exists. The current laws do not seem to include language that would apply to multiple persons in a marriage. A will, of course could deal with this, but a heck of a lot of people die without one.
Real Property - Real estate is another area where there is legal language involving marriage that doesn't consider multiple partners. Joint tenancy with right of survivorship is how my wife and I are listed on our deed. That might apply to multiple joint owners or not, depending on how the laws are written in each state. Title and ownership is a complex issue already, and would become more complex with multiple partners in a plural marriage.
Auto Titles - In both states where I have owned vehicles, there are just two lines for joint owners, who own a vehicle and can sell it with either two signatures or one. In most states, you can select AND or OR on the title. This area would be more complicated and would require creating new forms across the board.
Various Benefits - Social Security is one of those that would be affected by plural marriages. Currently, a spouse is entitled to receive payments, based on a spouse's earnings, in more than one scenario. Under current laws, there's no provision for multiple spouses, and many changes would be needed. Employment benefits, too, including health insurance, are also based on two-person couples and a couple's offspring. Changes here would result in increased costs to business and would probably be resisted. Pensions (where they exist) and many other benefits might also be affected. The military, too, has many areas where marriage is a consideration, without any provision for more than two people. The insurance industry, too, would see a large impact from plural marriages.
Banking & Finance - Pretty much everything involved with non-commercial banking, accounts, loans, etc. are currently structured for two-person relationships. I'm not familiar enough with this area to discuss what impact polymarriage would have here but it would certainly be significant.
Of course, there are plenty of legal options available, like corporations, limited partnerships, etc., that could be used to structure these things in a plural marriage, but that was one of the flaws of civil partnerships for LGBT couples. So many benefits and rights could not be dealt with on a simple contractual basis. Our laws offer multiple benefits to married couples, based only on their marriage. I believe the same issues would be there for plural relationships, but current language is broadly limited to two-person couples.
I think that many, many laws, regulations and more would have to be significantly changed to make plural or poly marriage a functional part of society. I know that I have only touched on a few issues. If you can think of other significant ones, please post a reply about them.
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Best comments I've read on this non-issue yet! 
Over the years I have seen you as someone of reasonable opinion so i am sorry it was yours that triggered my outburst against the whole nonsense. Glad to see it was more an exercise in satirical commentary than an endorsement of the ludicrous.
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Thank you. Its all ridiculous, and revolting, at the same time. It needs to stop & go away to some dark corner of the interwebs where it belongs.
