“”””””As far as the government is concerned it’s a tax issue. The Gov’t wants a cut of the action.””””””
It is much more than that, a marriage has to be known as legal, for instance for military pensions and survivor pensions.
“It is much more than that, a marriage has to be known as legal, for instance for military pensions and survivor pensions.”
Your assumptions are not correct.
Military pensions are a percentage of base pay for time served over 20 years. Not allowances (dependants are an allowance calculation).
Survivor benefits are paid into by the retiree. If the retiree and the spouse decide not to pay into it... it doesn’t exist. It’s something like term life insurance.
Medical insurance is also paid into.