Cohabitation Murray KY

Cohabitation

Cohabitation is a term generally used to define couples who live together without getting married. State laws vary over what constitutes cohabitation. Those who cohabit are typically involved in an intimate relationship and it can refer to heterosexual and/or same sex couples. Historically, some states made cohabitation a crime and a few states still have laws against cohabitation currently on their books, but these laws are rarely enforced.

More often today, individuals who live together without getting married are protecting themselves from a legal standpoint by preparing cohabitation agreements. A cohabitation agreement is a written agreement between two people who decide to share living quarters. It specifies among other things: a detailed plan to share living expenses, ownership of real and separate property, personal duties and responsibilities, and how real and personal property should be divided in the event the couple separates.

Sharing a residence with someone or cohabitation, in a non-marital relationship does not automatically entitle either party to obtain any rights in the property of the other. However, adults who voluntarily live together and engage in sexual relations may also enter into contractual agreements to establish respective rights and duties of the parties in regard to earnings and property acquired from their earnings.

Other examples of matters which might be addressed in co-habitation agreements include the right to access bank accounts, whether or not parties agree to maintain health and life insurance coverage, and whether or not the couple plans to allow each other the right to make health care decisions on behalf of the other. It should be noted that generally, someone who cohabits with another is not considered an heir under the law and does not have the same rights as a spouse or next of kin. Thus, unmarried couples should consider estate planning, such as will, trust, and power of attorney document prep...