Legal implications to "Living Together"

[Techdude]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Pennslyvania

Scenario 1
I currently own a home, which is almost paid off. My girlfriend won’t live here because of the neighborhood. She said she would move in with me if I bought a nicer house. I may soon be able to buy another house. Since my girlfriend has bad credit, and no money, I would have to buy the new place with only my name on the deed and assume responsibility for the payments.
What happens, if after five (or ten) years of living together , we break up? Will she have any legal right to sue me or place a lien on the new home that I bought and financed?

Scenario 2
My girlfriend owns her own home for twenty years or more. She wants me to move in and share expenses. She wants to do some extensive renovations (with my help) while we live there. I have a concern about the time and money I will have to spend on maintaining her home. It takes me 2-3 hours to cut the grass!
What happens, if in five (or ten) years, we break up? Without getting my name on the deed (which she won’t permit), do I have a legal right to be compensated for my work and financial contributions?
Is there a type of contract, similar to a prenuptial agreement, that people use prior to living together?

THANKS

 

[mmmagique]

Ya know what?

Just get married already.

This is silly.

Or live apart.

Or live together and maintain seperate residences.

Sheesh.

 

[Ohiogal]

You have no rights to her property and she has no rights to your property without being on the deed. That is the simple answer. The other poster MMMagique has a great point though. Decide if you want to get married or not. If you dont' want to get married then don't but do not expect the benefits of marriage without the legality of marriage.

 

[Techdude]

I read about the criteria for Common Law marriage. Does anybody know how that is defined in the State of Pennsylvania?

Neither of us want to get married. We're both 50ish. I hear too many horror stories from people who got divorced after only being married a few years. Who ever makes the most money pays big time, it seems.

So, as long as there's only one name on the deed, the other person can't sue even though they invested time and money? There's no legal protection at all, except marriage, and even then if the spouses name isn't on the deed, they are out of luck?

Then, the closest thing to what I was thinking about would be a Pre-Nuptial agreement. I'll peruse this forum some more reagrding that issue....

Thanks

 

[Ohiogal]

I read about the criteria for Common Law marriage. Does anybody know how that is defined in the State of Pennsylvania?

Neither of us want to get married. We're both 50ish. I hear too many horror stories from people who got divorced after only being married a few years. Who ever makes the most money pays big time, it seems.

So, as long as there's only one name on the deed, the other person can't sue even though they invested time and money? There's no legal protection at all, except marriage, and even then if the spouses name isn't on the deed, they are out of luck?

Then, the closest thing to what I was thinking about would be a Pre-Nuptial agreement. I'll peruse this forum some more reagrding that issue....

Thanks

You will NOT be common law married. PA only recognizes common law marriages established before 2005 and it takes more than living together. If you were married then you would be entitled to the equity that accrued during the marriage if any marital income went into the home. And you are not entitled to anything invested quite frankly in a home that you are not an owner of.

 

[cyjeff]

You could always work out a renter's or lessor's agreement.

That way, one would be the tenant and one the landlord.

 

[Techdude]

Some of my questions have been answered.

So, after living long term in her house, doing a lot of work, and spending a lot of money, it's possible to get ousted with nothing to show for all that effort. I guess that happens to alot of guys.

Thanks for your help.

 

[TheGeekess]

Some of my questions have been answered.

So, after living long term in her house, doing a lot of work, and spending a lot of money, it's possible to get ousted with nothing to show for all that effort. I guess that happens to alot of guys.

Thanks for your help.

I bet it happens to just as many women.

 

[LdiJ]

I bet it happens to just as many women.

It does happen to just as many women.

 

[LdiJ]

Some of my questions have been answered.

So, after living long term in her house, doing a lot of work, and spending a lot of money, it's possible to get ousted with nothing to show for all that effort. I guess that happens to alot of guys.

Thanks for your help.

Which is why, if you are not married, that the most you put into a house is the fair market value of the rent that you do not have to pay.

Of course, the two of you could always sell both of your respective properties, and buy a property together, however if you do break up, then it gets really, really sticky.

 

[Techdude]

Well, she already broke it off with me for my refusal to rent my large house out and move into her small house, even though we live 20 minutes apart. I was happy living in separate residences, she wasn’t.

Thanks for your replies. I often wondered if by letting a girlfriend live with me, she would have any right to sue me when the relationship ended. Now I know.