Can an opposite-sex couple gain the benefits of marriage?

without actually being married, or being in a fake marriage? Something that legally gives them the same rights, but does not imply that they are a couple, or in a relationship?





Say, perhaps two friends, a guy and a girl, live together, but are only friends, and nothing else, nor do they ever plan to become anything else. Can they still receive the same benefits a married couple would? Because they are still living under the same roof, and are living together, like a married couple would be.Can an opposite-sex couple gain the benefits of marriage?
No.





And for the people who are saying common-law marriage, there are 15 states that allow it, but it isn't just a matter of living together. In order to have a valid common law marriage, the couple must do all of the following:





* live together for a significant period of time (not defined in any state)


* hold themselves out as a married couple -- typically this means using the same last name, referring to the other as ';my husband'; or ';my wife,'; and filing a joint tax return, and


* intend to be married.Can an opposite-sex couple gain the benefits of marriage?
no, at this point they are just roomates. you can give a friend power of attorney for financial, legal and health matters but when it comes to bebenifts like filing your taxes then no except in a common law marriage situation.
Sometimes, but those benefits only come if you've been together for years and then separate. Otherwise, no.
I would suspect the answer would be no since marriage is the only way I know of that you can reap the benefits of marriage.
Generally speaking, no.





If they live in a state that recognizes common law marriage (and there are very few states that do), then they have those benefits, but they won't have those benefits in a state that doesn't recognize common law.