Difference between revisions of "Cohabitation and Living Together Agreements"

Cohabitation agreements are contracts signed by couples who plan to live together or who are already living together. Cohabitation agreements typically deal with issues like the division of property and debt or the payment of spousal support if the relationship ends. Cohabitation agreements can also deal with issues during the relationship, like how the housework is distributed and how the household expenses are paid. There is no legal requirement for people to sign a cohabitation agreement when they decide to live together.

This page will discuss when and why cohabitation agreements are usually signed and the legal requirements of valid cohabitation agreements.

Cohabitation agreements, also known as "living together agreements," are usually signed before or shortly after a couple starts living together. A couple may enter into a cohabitation agreement with the intention of addressing things that might happen during the time they live together, while they ''cohabit'', but cohabitation agreements are most often intended to address the issues that might arise if their relationship breaks down.

There is no legal requirement that you must enter into such an agreement if you're living with someone or plan on living with someone, and you can't be forced to into a cohabitation agreement.

The big difference between marriage agreements and cohabitation agreements is that couples who sign a cohabitation agreement aren't married and don't intend to get married, at least not just yet. As a result, it's important to understand exactly how the legal status of unmarried couples differs from that of married couples before even thinking about the idea of a cohabitation agreement. This segment will provide a brief discussion of this topic; you should read through the Unmarried Couples section for a better understanding of these issues.

Married couples have been legally married, either by a civil ceremony performed by a marriage commissioner or in a religious ceremony performed by a religious official. An unmarried couple will become "common-law," for the purposes of the Family Relations Act, after they've lived together in a "marriage-like relationship" for two years. Unmarried couples, including common-law couples, are not legally married to one another, and they'll stay that way until they are formally married.