DuPage County Attorneys for Couples Thinking About Living Together
There are many reasons why couples chose to cohabitate, whether before or in place of marriage. If you and your partner are considering the step of cohabitation, it is important to consider the advantages and the potential drawbacks of such a move. It is also important to protect yourself in the case that the relationship comes to an end.
At the DuPage County law firm of Andrew Cores Family Law Group, we assist clients with the formation of cohabitation agreements while providing advice regarding the rights that they have throughout the legal process. A cohabitation agreement will detail financial arrangements, property division, and other relevant issues in the event that the couple decides to split.
Plans for Cohabitation in Illinois
Without a cohabitation agreement, the end of a relationship can have significant financial consequences, since a couple will not have any of the protections provided by a legal marriage. There is no presumption, for example, that property belongs to both parties, unless both parties' names are on the property titles. A cohabitation agreement can detail ownership rights toward different types of property, and it can detail how different assets will be divided between the parties in the event that the relationship ends.
Cohabitating couples often open joint accounts and pool other types of resources, but there is no obligation for any type of financial support to continue if the relationship should end. Unlike a marriage, in which a spouse may be entitled to receive spousal support after a divorce, unmarried partners will have no recourse for seeking similar types of support. To address this issue, a cohabitation agreement may put arrangements for ongoing financial support in place if the relationship ends in the future.
Contact Our Experienced Wheaton Cohabitation Agreement Attorneys
If you are thinking about cohabitation and would like to learn more about your legal options, speak with one of our experienced family lawyers at Andrew Cores Family Law Group. We can advise you on what issues you may want to address in a cohabitation agreement, and we can work with you to put an agreement in place that will protect your interests if your relationship should end in the future. Contact us to schedule a free initial consultation by calling 630-407-1225. We represent clients in the DuPage County and Kendall County areas.
