If I Am In A Common Law Marriage, Can We File Joint Taxes?

[SHANNONC]

I LIVE IN TEXAS AND HAVE BEEN WITH MY FIANCE FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR. WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO AFFORD TO GET MARRIED, BUT WE ARE COMMON LAW AS FAR AS WE KNOW. WE HAVE HAD A ROUGH YEAR WITH INCOME AND FEEL IT WOULD BE BETTER TO FILE JOINT TAXES INSTEAD OF SEPERATELY. DO WE HAVE TO HAVE A MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE OR ANYTHING TO BE ABLE TO FILE JOINTLY?

 

[abezon]

You have to be living in a state that has common law marriage. I don't know if TX even has CLM. You could call the local law school or a legal aid attorney. The library probably has someone who knows. All states will recognize a CLM validly entered into in another state that has CLM, but most won't declare that a couple are living common law.