Irvine Cohabitation Attorney

Orange County Cohabitation Agreement Lawyer

Traditional marriage can be a wonderful thing. But many of its benefits can be obtained in non-marital relationships that were once frowned upon. More and more people simply live together, or decide to live together for a period before "taking the plunge." .

Those who live together and acquire property together without an agreement face uncertainty and complication should they break up.

A cohabitation agreement is a basic contract that can be enforced in ordinary civil court, not a specialized family court. It benefits both parties by planning finances and other matters for the future, both during the relationship, and should the relationship end. Parties feel secure in knowing what is expected of each, as far as payment of expenses during the relationship, for example.

Benefits of an Agreement

• Ownership of money and property can be arranged in any manner the parties chose. Thus it is more flexible than in a marriage, where these are "marital property" that would be divided upon divorce.
• If you have children from a prior relationship, you can ensure their continued security in a cohabitation agreement.
• Couples who do eventually marry already have a plan for the duties and financial responsibilities of each. A prenuptial agreement can be modeled on the cohabitation agreement.
• Finally, the contracts avoid the uncertainty of cohabitation, that is, a court determining that one party will be awarded money or property, and how much.

Contact Orange County, California, Cohabitation Agreement Attorney Melanie L. Oldham

Contact us online or call 949-622-5522 for a consultation. Phones are answered 24 hours a day. Off-site, evening and weekend appointments are available for our clients' convenience. We accept all major credit cards.