Marrying You Mother for Tax Purposes

[CookingWithGas]

@Si_Amigo

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?

Interesting discussion but I question the basic premise that you would actually be better off married. What is the 19K you are giving with no return? Have you ever heard of the “marriage penalty”?

@Telcontar

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).

The *marriage *isn’t barred. Using marriage as fraudulent justification for granting residency status is what they prohibit. You know, they interview people to ask them what color is their spouse’s toothbrush and whatnot.