Living Together and Common Law Marriage

 Many people who come to see me usually tell me “Well, we have been married for 10 years, but we lived together for 10 years before that, so its 20 years”.
Not so fast. Common Law marriages, where spouses live together and act as if they are husband and wife do not exist in California. You can live together for 30 years in California and it means nothing. Literally.
It confers no benefit upon you and when you decide the relationship isn’t working. You obtain no property rights and you get no spousal support and , even though you may have quit your job during the relationship.
I see people who are financially devastated when they have given themselves to someone without a co-habitation agreement and without marriage. They are literally left with nothing. If you don’t want to get married, that is fine, but at least create a co-habitation agreement so you know what to expect at the time your relationship ends. For example, if you stay together through your working life, will you get some type of support or maintenance if the relationship ends? What about property that was acquired during the marriage. Who gets that?
It is important to consider these things. For more information, schedule a consultation with Certified Family Law Specialist Denise Lite at 877-317-8080. Your future self deserves the very best.