Co-habitation Agreements

Creating Effective Co-habitation Agreements

Family law is ever-changing in the modern age we live in.  Statistics show us that 60-70% of people will live together before marriage, particularly for the age from of people falling between 30-44 years old.  Another striking statistic is that co-habitation is increasingly popular among adults over 75 years old.

According to family law experts Davies & Co Lawyers, co-habitation may be referred to in different ways.  You may have heard phrases such as: Committed Intimate Relationships, Non-Married Heterosexual Couples, Non Traditional Cohabitors, or Meretricious Relationships.

It’s important when considering a co-habitation agreement to understand the different types of agreements and that courts generally treat them like contracts.  You may also have heard of these agreements under other names, such as:  Written Agreements for Support, Written Partnership Agreements, or Non-Marital Agreements. There are generally three types of agreements: Implied, Oral, and Written.  Jurisdictions vary on whether they will recognize oral co-habitation agreements, although many do.  Some will only recognize agreements entered into in writing.  It’s important to understand what the courts in your jurisdiction require.  Some jurisdictions will not recognize an implied cohabitation agreement.

(more…)