# Marrying You Mother for Tax Purposes **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 15, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003 "2009-02-15T23:01:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/1 "2009-02-15T23:01:13Z")
Why Not? Dad has pasted on and Mom is 78 and on a fixed income. Say that I am (theoretically) 50, divorced with no kids, no home ownership and making over $100K a year. Basically I’d just be giving about $19K to the tax man and getting no return. I love mom but can I marry her for just for tax purposes? Have people actually tried this? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/2 "2009-02-15T23:04:06Z")
It has to be a legal marriage, and no state allows a mother to marry a son. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/3 "2009-02-15T23:13:08Z")
I see a gay marriage debate in 3…2…1… ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/4 "2009-02-15T23:21:43Z")
There are cases of people getting divorced for tax or financial reasons only, they just continue to live together with no changes in their romantic relationship. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/5 "2009-02-15T23:35:09Z")
If you and your mother are shtupping each other, just go ahead and do it, without the tax benefits. Marriage between a man and his mother is illegal; I’m sure the IRS is aware of that. ---
**Author:** ![KnitWit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@KnitWit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KnitWit)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/6 "2009-02-15T23:36:22Z")
Dad has pasted on? How did he do that? ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/7 "2009-02-15T23:37:50Z")
It’s a little known provision of the tax code that marriages like these must be consummated in front of an IRS inspector. ---
**Author:** ![Dahu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahu/32/3416_2.png) [@Dahu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahu)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/8 "2009-02-15T23:47:06Z")
Here in the UK there is no Inheritance Tax to pay on transfers between spouses in the event of one dying (otherwise it’s generally 40%). In theory, a daughter who really really really trusted her boyfriend, could get him to marry her (widowed) mother. Then when the mother dies, he would collect the family fortune tax-free and be free to marry the daughter and live happily ever after. At least, I can’t see anything illegal with this. Don’t know if it’s ever actually happened though. ---
**Author:** ![magnusblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/9 "2009-02-15T23:48:20Z")
Assuming the OP isn’t just a whoosh or a strawman for something else (I suspect **jtgain** might be correct in his guess)… why SHOULD you be able to get a tax break for no reason? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/10 "2009-02-16T00:00:42Z")
I believe that the Greek city of Thebes actually attempted this, with decidedly poor results. The IRS is surprisingly well-informed on comparative law issues, and would probably try to discourage you for this reason, if no other. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/11 "2009-02-16T00:07:18Z")
> [@](#): > > I believe that the Greek city of Thebes actually attempted this, with decidedly poor results. Leading to the famous Oedipus Tax. ---
**Author:** ![Telcontar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Telcontar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telcontar)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/12 "2009-02-16T00:11:56Z")
> [@Dahu](#): > > Here in the UK there is no Inheritance Tax to pay on transfers between spouses in the event of one dying (otherwise it’s generally 40%). > > In theory, a daughter who really really really trusted her boyfriend, could get him to marry her (widowed) mother. Then when the mother dies, he would collect the family fortune tax-free and be free to marry the daughter and live happily ever after. > > At least, I can’t see anything illegal with this. Don’t know if it’s ever actually happened though. This would be…fascinating. I wonder if it would be really legal, as in other contexts marrying to “trick” the government is usually barred (immigration for example). ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/13 "2009-02-16T00:49:57Z")
As “Miss Jane” explained to Jed, (who wondered why anyone wouldn’t want to pay his fair share of taxes) “It’s OK to _AVOID_ paying taxes so long as you don’t _EVADE_ paying them.” ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/14 "2009-02-16T02:07:24Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > It’s a little known provision of the tax code that marriages like these must be consummated in front of an IRS inspector. Only if it’s mother/daughter. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/15 "2009-02-16T02:19:51Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Leading to the famous Oedipus Tax. Fortunately, you do have some options. Many people set up accounts in Colonus as a tax shelter. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/16 "2009-02-16T04:27:06Z")
As a somewhat serious response - why not claim the mother as a dependant? Head of household type of filing… that would be, I think (just a layman here), the correct way to do things. ---
**Author:** ![AllWalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@AllWalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllWalker)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/17 "2009-02-16T04:48:30Z")
This has to be the first GQ thread title that made me laugh out loud. Very nice. The question is: even if you could, would it be worth it? Women don’t like guys who _live_ with their mothers, after all… how would you get laid again? And… I just thought of an answer to my second question, and so now I need to get get very, _very_ drunk. Cheers. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/18 "2009-02-16T04:59:54Z")
I’d rather spend a year dead for tax purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/19 "2009-02-16T10:10:03Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > I’d rather spend a year dead for tax purposes. Right this way, Mr. Desiato, we have your spaceship waiting. ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003/20 "2009-02-16T11:47:44Z")
> [@KnitWit](#): > > Dad has pasted on? How did he do that? A tragic accident involving a steamroller. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marrying-you-mother-for-tax-purposes/486003.md?page=2)