Who are the married couple who live in the same house?

This is the case for Mike Mongo and Leonie Gordon (pictured at right), a married couple who live in the same beautiful house in Key West, Fla. — but who have separate bedrooms.

Is it legal for unmarried couples to live together?

Many couples live together before they get married, or choose not to get married at all. However, unmarried couples living together have different legal rights compared to married couples. Unmarried couples don’t have the same legal protection as married couples; and they also have less responsibility to each other in the event of a breakup.

What happens to property if an unmarried couple splits up?

If a cohabiting couple splits up, they do not have the same legal rights to property as a married couple. In general, unmarried couples can’t claim ownership of each other’s property in the event of a breakup. This applies to big investments (such as a house) and smaller items (such as furniture).

Do you have to be married to be a common law couple?

It is a popular myth that couples are ‘common law married’ if they have lived together for a certain number of years, but this is not the case. The only way to get the legal rights of a married couple is to get married. This remains the case even if you live together a long time, have kids or buy a house together.

Can a married couple make a community property agreement?

Alaska, South Dakota and Tennessee allow a married couple to make a written agreement stating that they wish certain property treated as community property. (See a lawyer if you want to make this kind of agreement.)

What are the property rights of the legal wife?

The Little-known Property Rights of the Legal Wife vs. That of the Other Woman Sometimes people just have too much love to give that one person is not enough to receive it all! …and of course that’s just a joke. People may have all sorts of reasons, but the effects of these decisions on their property relations will all be the same under the law.

Can a unmarried couple own a home together?

That option is not available to unmarried couples. When an unmarried couple lives together, but one partner owns the home or is the sole tenant in the rental unit in which they live, the tenant who is the homeowner or lessor has an advantage in terms of keeping exclusive possession.