Unmarried couples should sign 'pre-nups'

Cohabiting couples that are not married should protect their assets by signing a cohabitation agreement, according to an online law firm.

LawDepot.com suggests that sign a Common Law Partner Agreement, or cohabitation agreement, may serve to help an unmarried couple to stay together for longer while at the same time providing legal protection for both parties in the event of the relationship ending.

The firm said: "No one wants to think that their relationship won't work out. But, having a cohabitation agreement will save both parties from undue stress, in the event that the relationship does collapse.

"In fact, a study by Heather Mahar of Harvard Law School suggests that signing a pre-nup improves the chances of having a successful marriage.

"While no similar study has been done for cohabitation agreements, there is enough similarity between a pre-nup and a cohabitation agreement to suggest that cohabitation agreements may strengthen the relationships of unmarried couples."

Lawdepot.com offers a cohabitation agreement form that can be completely customised which covers areas including property rights, debt obligations, support obligations, and estate issues.