Make a Living Together Contract

What is a Living Together Contract?

It is a written contract you make to show your agreements about things related to a partner who you live with. It’s also called a “cohabitation contract.”

You can also use an LTC for a non-romantic or platonic relationship, including among friends. It is best used between 2 people in a close relationship who live together, plan to live together for a long time, and plan to share some kind of responsibility, income, debt, expenses, or other obligations with each other. 

Why would we need a Living Together Contract (LTC)?

There aren’t laws that decide if and how unmarried partners in a long-term relationship share property, debts, and other responsibilities (except for registered domestic partners). If you make an LTC with a partner, it can help avoid problems. An LTC can help you take care of each other and yourselves during future issues.

There also aren’t laws about these kinds of issues for friends who live together long-term and share responsibilities, expenses or income. An LTC can help in that kind of relationship situation as well. 

Should all unmarried partners make an LTC? 

No. You should only make an LTC if all of these are true:

• You’re in a long-term committed relationship with the other person.
• You live with that person.
• You’re planning to combine the things that you own, share your expenses, or otherwise share responsibilities, income, costs, or obligations. 

Examples: You should make an LTC if a partner earns much more than the other does, or if a partner entered the relationship with lots of debt.

We’re an older couple. Would an LTC work for us?

It depends on your goals. If either of you is 62 or older, you can register with the state as domestic partners. In Washington, registered domestic partners have most of the same rights and responsibilities as married spouses. 

If you don’t want to or can’t be married or have a registered domestic partnership, an LTC could be a good way to formalize your relationship agreements. 

Does Washington have common law marriage?

No. Common law marriage situations won’t make you legally married in Washington. 

You can live together for decades as romantic partners in Washington and act as married, but you won’t have marriage rights. The only way to get those rights is to get legally married or be in a registered domestic partnership.

When should we make an LTC? 

You should do it right when you decide to live together or soon after you move in together. It’s easier to do it earlier than when your relationship is troubled and might be ending. 

Is an LTC agreement legal?

Yes, if both people sign and date it. You each need your own signed copy. 

It can help to have someone else be there to witness when you sign the contract. If the agreement includes sharing land that either of you own or any buildings on it (called real property), you should have the agreement notarized.

Be sure to sign it with your legal name. If you get a name change, you can either attach a copy of the name change order to the LTC or you can complete and sign a new LTC using your new legal name.

Does it affect public benefits if we share assets?

Yes. It will affect some benefits like TANF. It may affect others like SSI and SSDI.

Where can I get an LTC?

You can use our sample Living Together Contract form. Fill in the blanks to fit your situation. Or you can write your own.