Do We Need A Cohabitation Agreement

You're committed, you're moving in together and you're blending your households. But are you forgetting something? Many Canadians find themselves in common-law relationships and think that they aren't any different from a legal marriage. It can be a shock to find out that, when the going gets tough, certain rights under the law-not to mention financial obligations-do or do not apply. For instance, if one common-law partner becomes seriously ill or passes away, will the other be able to access joint bank accounts? Their shared home? What happens if there is no will? And what about the kids? These are some of the many serious questions that couples need to consider before sharing their lives, all of which can be addressed in a cohabitation agreement. A cohabitation agreement allows a couple to make sure their partner and any children are taken care of in times of need or crisis; that ownership in properties or financial resources are clear, combined, separated or protected. Most of all, these contracts allow for the peace of mind that comes with having a game plan in place should the relationship end due to death or separation. Take the advice of Michael Cochrane, a lawyer with more than 30 years of experience, and consider the numerous issues that can affect a common-law relationship. Do We Need a Cohabitation Agreement? is written in clear, nontechnical language and includes real-life examples based on Canadian cases. Cochrane addresses critical issues such as wills and estates, powers of attorney, the special concerns of step-families and same-sex couples, and how to have this discussion with your partner. It will also help you work in a cost-effective way with a lawyer should you decide that an agreement will benefit your relationship. This is your future together. Get it right from the very beginning.

The Ultimate Guide to Canadian Cohabitation Agreements How Does a Cohabitation Agreement Work in Canada? Canadian lawyer Jeffrey Behrendt has taken his years of experience creating and negotiating cohabitation agreements and written a complete guide for Canadian couples thinking about entering into a cohabitation agreement. This brief, easy to read book takes you through every step of the process without any legalese. Behrendt gives you a solid background not just in cohabitation agreements, but also in how family law and estate law works for common law couples. Inside this guide you will discover: What makes a valid cohabitation agreement How custody, access, and child support are affected by cohabitation agreements What your cohabitation agreement can say about spousal support How property can be divided Explanations of common legal terms Cohabitation agreements and estate planning And Much More Each chapter guides you through the various legal issues of a cohabitation agreement. Common questions are answered and the most common options couples choose when agreeing to a cohabitation agreement are laid out. If you are living common law, or about to, then you need this book. It will answer your questions about cohabitation agreements and will make sure you are prepared when you visit a lawyer to get your agreement drafted. This book can help you lower your legal fees, increase your confidence, and give you peace of mind. Don't Wait Another Second. Get Your Copy of The Only Cohabitation Agreement Guide You'll Ever Need Right Now.

Congratulations! You've decided to get married. It's a wonderful time, but there's more to think about than just the perfect wedding and honeymoon. Marriage is more complicated than it used to be. People are marrying later in life and perhaps for the second or third time. Often they are bringing more assets and more liabilities into the relationship, blending children from previous relationships, and generally facing all kinds of new challenges. Marriage contracts, wills and Powers of Attorney are all valuable ways to set your expectations in advance. Do We Need a Marriage Contract? is written in clear, nontechnical language and includes real-life examples based on Canadian cases. Cochrane includes a sample marriage contract to address the critical issues you need to be aware of, including: Protection of assets brought into the marriage The special practical and financial concerns of blending children into new families Family pressure to have a marriage contract Business pressure to have a marriage contract How to have a discussion with your partner and not spoil the romance How marriage contracts work with your wills and Powers of Attorney How to work in a cost-effective way with a lawyer How to avoid the relationship mistakes that lead to divorce This is your future together. Get it right from the very beginning. Take the advice of Michael Cochrane, a lawyer with more than 30 years of experience in family law, and carefully consider the numerous issues that can affect your relationship.

This book is a practical, non-threatening guide to marriage contracts and cohabitation agreements: what they are, who needs them, what they can do for you, how to broach such an unromantic subject with your sweetheart, working with a lawyer to draft or customize a contract, and lots of examples. Thousands of Canadians get married each year—in love, starry-eyed, and committed forever. But almost half of Canadian marriages end in divorce, and trust can soon turn to bitter battles over business assets, financial settlements, and child custody. This book is a practical, non-threatening guide to marriage contracts and cohabitation agreements: what they are, who needs them, what they can do for you, how to broach such an unromantic subject with your partner, and working with a lawyer to draft or customize a contract.

What is a family? What makes someone a parent? What rights should children have? Family Law: A Very Short Introduction gives the reader an insight not only into what the law is, but why it is the way it is. It examines how laws have had to respond to social changes in family life, from rapidly rising divorce rates to surrogate mothers, and gives insight into family courts which are required to deal with the chaos of family life and often struggle to keep up-to-date with the social and scientific changes which affect it. It also looks to the future: what will families look like in the years ahead? What new dilemmas will the courts face? ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

The highly anticipated sequel to the global bestseller 12 Rules for Life. In 12 Rules for Life, acclaimed public thinker and clinical psychologist Jordan B. Peterson offered an antidote to the chaos in our lives: eternal truths applied to modern anxieties. His insights have helped millions of readers and resonated powerfully around the world. Now in his long-awaited sequel, Peterson goes further, showing that part of life's meaning comes from reaching out into the domain beyond what we know, and adapting to an ever-transforming world. While an excess of chaos threatens us with uncertainty, an excess of order leads to a lack of curiosity and creative vitality. Beyond Order therefore calls on us to balance the two fundamental principles of reality--order and chaos--and reveals the profound meaning that can be found on the path that divides them. In times of instability and suffering, Peterson reminds us that there are sources of strength on which we can all draw: insights borrowed from psychology, philosophy, and humanity's greatest myths and stories. Drawing on the hard-won truths of ancient wisdom, as well as deeply personal lessons from his own life and clinical practice, Peterson offers twelve new principles to guide readers towards a more courageous, truthful, and meaningful life.

For ten years, and through four editions, people have relied on the best selling Guide to the Basics of Ontario Family Law for straightforward advice on important decisions. Whether you are getting married, separating, divorcing, changing a family law agreement or court order, or involved with a children's aid society, knowing how the Ontario Family Law System works and how to avoid some of its dangers really helps. The expanded and updated fourth edition of the Guide to the Basics of Ontario Family Law, Certified Specialist in Family Law, John Schuman, provides clear explanations about the important family law issues that people face every day. A reference for anyone who needs to understand Ontario family law, the Guide to the Basics of Ontario Family Law helps answer questions, clarify the issues, and lessen the stress that is often associated with family law matters. Almost 600 citations show the laws and court decisions that judges, and lawyers used everyday in Family Law. John Schuman presents the basics of Ontario family law from start to finish. He reviews marriage contracts and cohabitation agreements: what they are, why you need one, and how to do them properly. He also explains what happens when couples separate, including information on getting divorced, custody, access, parenting concerns, child and spousal support and division of assets and debts. John Schuman explains all options - from negotiation to mediation to collaborative practice, to the government child support calculation service to going to court - and what to expect with each one. He even explains what to do when a Children's Aid Society calls and what to do at each step in to court.