A cohabitation agreement memorializes the promises made between unmarried partners before they move in together. This legal document accordingly expresses the partners’ duties while the relationship exists and explains what will happen if the partnership ends. Create your cohabitation agreement template on Lawrina and download a complete PDF document in a flash.
Create & DownloadYou should take the time to understand what a cohabitation agreement is and how the legal document can benefit the relationship. If you are considering certain living arrangements, know the particulars of cohabitation agreements, how these contracts work, why they are important, and how they can protect your rights and future interests. Drafting these legal contracts using customizable cohabitation agreement templates can save time and money.
The individuals who are planning to live together (or are living together) and willfully agree to enter into a legally binding contract are the named parties in a cohabitation agreement. Executing a cohabitation agreement document usually requires the following four participants:
Cohabitation agreements cover various aspects of building a life together without getting married. As such, templates for drafting these agreements will include the following key terms:
Another option is to customize a simple common law agreement to meet the unique needs of the relationship using the tools offered by reputable providers. However, a customizable cohabitation agreement template will generally provide more appropriate terms and language for the couple’s needs.
The main difference between cohabitation and marriage lies in their legal acknowledgments and formalities as follows:
Marriage between two parties requires a marriage license and ceremony to make the partnership legal in most states. State statutes frequently confer rights upon married couples regarding inheritance, taxes, and divorce entitlements.
CohabitationCohabitation arrangements allow two individuals to become partners without traditional marriage formalities. Though the couple disregards many family law protections and duties, cohabitating partners can secure and even customize their rights by executing a valid cohabitation agreement.
Furthermore, cohabitation agreement templates allow unmarried couples to customize which family rights and responsibilities will apply to them. Their legally binding contract will specifically address the unique circumstances of their relationship. Thus, cohabitation agreements can offer the same or similar comprehensive legal protections found in marriage laws.
Customized cohabitation agreements should satisfy the specific financial needs and living circumstances of the contracted parties and offer the same post-relationship legal remedies that married couples enjoy. These simple living together agreements also expressly state what will happen in case of a breakup by addressing property, debt, and financial support matters to avoid future conflicts.
Cohabitation agreements are equally beneficial in situations involving co-owned property acquired during cohabitation. In such cases, the cohabiting couple can write into the contract how they will divide shared assets, protecting each party’s interests and the interests of their heirs and designated beneficiaries.
Partners who do not have a cohabitation agreement may have to resolve their family disputes in court if the relationship terminates. Without protections from a cohabitation agreement, there is often no evidence to show that a party made express promises regarding property ownership, finances, and debts before moving in with the other party. Such difficulties often mean long and expensive legal battles, putting the partners at the mercy of state community property laws to resolve their disputes.
A cohabitation agreement template allows the parties to create a legal document with terms that protect both parties in the event of a separation. Additionally, either partner can admit the executed contract into evidence if the other partner files a lawsuit after the relationship ends.
Well-crafted cohabitation agreement templates include the following legal terms and covenants for the parties to modify according to their unique circumstances and needs:
Remember that you may adapt any of the above sections using a downloadable cohabitation agreement template to address the couple’s unique needs.
An experienced contract lawyer may be able to draft your cohabitation agreement, or you can create your contract using an online template. Retaining lawyer services may help to ensure that your arrangement will comply with your state’s family law. Attorneys can also confirm whether an agreement conflicts with the hereditary rights of either partner’s heirs. However, hiring a lawyer can be time-consuming and costly.
Lawrina’s cohabitation agreement template can help you save time by streamlining the drafting process. Cohabitation template examples are attorney-approved legal documents available to review, which address key terms like child or partner support, custody, property division, and more. Couples can customize the template to meet their unique needs without compromising quality. Combining a lawyer’s expertise with online legal template technology helps to produce comprehensive and effective cohabitation agreements that the court can enforce.
Partners who want to live together without getting married may want to draft a comprehensive cohabitation agreement before moving in together to prevent potential post-breakup disputes. The contract explains and memorializes each party’s rights and responsibilities and will serve as a quick reference to resolve conflicts as they arise.
Some people prefer to maintain financial independence and, therefore, choose to protect their property before moving in with a partner. Cohabitation agreement forms help couples memorialize their pre-tenancy promises so there will be minimal confusion about what’s expected during and after the relationship.
The document states whether the partners will co-own property, share household expenses, or pay bills separately. Additionally, cohabitation agreements are especially beneficial for partners who own valuable real property or significant cash assets acquired before the relationship. Some partners wish to protect these assets from becoming the property of their cohabiting partner in the event of separation or death.
Couples who plan to live together temporarily or decide not to share property and expenses during cohabitation usually will not draft a cohabitation agreement before moving in together. Additionally, the duties and protections in family law already cover legally married couples and people in common-law marriages. Thus, couples who fall into these categories may not need a separate cohabitation agreement to protect their interests.
