| A | B |
|---|
| Affinity | marriage between persons who are related by marriage |
| Alimony | an allowance made to a divorced person by his or her former spouse for support |
| Annulment | declaration by the court that a marriage was never effective |
| Bigamy | having two spouses at the same time |
| Ceremonial marriage | marriage administered by someone who has authority to solemnize the marriage |
| Common law marriage | an informal type of marriage requiring no ceremony—legalized by some states, but not by others |
| Community property laws | provide that any wealth accumulated during a marriage belongs equally to both spouses |
| Consanguinity | marriage between persons who are related by blood |
| Divorce | declaration by the court that a valid marriage has come to an end |
| Marriage banns | under common law, published notices of a forthcoming marriage in order to give persons who might oppose the chance to object |
| Monogamy | having only one spouse at a time |
| Parent locator service | program to enable welfare agencies to find absent parents in order to enforce child support |
| Polygamy | having three or more spouses at the same time |
| Premarital agreement | an agreement between prospective spouses made in contemplation of marriage |
