Marital status

Definition and Legal Recognition of Marital Status

• Civil status or marital status describes a person's relationship with a significant other.
• Examples of civil status include married, single, divorced, and widowed.
• Marital status is used in forms, vital records, and other documents to indicate whether a person is married or single.
• A person's civil status may also be married if they are in a civil union or common-law marriage.
• Single status applies to individuals whose relationship with a significant other is not legally recognized.
• A status of married means a person was wed in a legally recognized manner.
• The civil status of a legally separated person is still considered married.
• Whether cohabiting couples have a civil status of married depends on the circumstances and jurisdiction.
• Single status applies to individuals whose relationship is not legally recognized.

Significance of Civil Status

• Civil status has both quantitative and qualitative significance in a person's medical history.
• Governments record the civil status of citizens through civil registration systems.
• Marital status inquiries have historically appeared on applications for employment, loans, and credit.
• Civil status can affect access to certain benefits, rights, and legal protections.
• Understanding civil status is important for demographic analysis and social research.

Familial Status

• Familial status indicates whether a person is the responsible caregiver for a child.
• It is a separate concept from marital status.
• Familial status is often considered in housing discrimination laws.
• Discrimination based on familial status is prohibited in many jurisdictions.
• Understanding familial status is important for policies related to child custody, child support, and parental rights.

Related Concepts

• Visual markers of marital status can include wedding rings or other symbols.
• The marriage gap refers to disparities in marriage rates among different demographic groups.
• Vital records document important life events, including marriages and divorces.
• Vital statistics are government records that provide demographic and health-related information.
• Mortgage discrimination refers to unfair treatment in mortgage lending based on factors such as marital status.

Marital status Data Sources