Hi,

I'm an attorney. You're getting an enormous amount of misinformation in this thread.

Many of the 'benefits' that people mentioned in this thread can be achieved in alternate ways quite simply. For example, if you want access to your partner during medical emergencies, have him declare you his health care proxy. Many states have a standard form online.

Moreover, there are generally no tax benefits to marriage, except in the case where one partner makes enormously less money than the other (or none at all). In cases where both partners earn comparable incomes, filing jointly means a noticeable overpayment (a well-documented phenomenon known as the 'marriage penalty')

For couples your age, there are only a few practical benefits to marriage. One is to get an uninsured partner access to affordable health insurance. With the ACA, this is becoming increasingly less relevant. Similarly, spouses are almost always qualified beneficiaries under COBRA.

That said, there's nothing inherently wrong about wanting to get married. Not everything in life has to have practical value in order to be meritorious. If marriage is something you want, that's enough for your desire to be valid.

What I would suggest is to talk to your partner more about why he doesn't want to get married. Perhaps he has heard some horror stories about divorce, in which case those concerns can be rationally allayed. Or, maybe there are other issues regarding commitment, understanding of family, and visions for life that haven't been adequately expressed. I hope you both work with each other to understand why your positions are important to you, and then try to find the right solution for you.