What Is a Domestic Partnership Agreement?
Domestic partnerships present a civil alternative to marriage; like marriage, they entail some paperwork -- including domestic partnership agreements -- to outline the legalities of the partnership. Each domestic partnership agreement is different, as the signers customize the contents of the agreement to suit the needs of their relationship. Consult your attorney to begin drawing up a domestic partnership agreement, but be warned -- as of 2011, some states do not legally recognize such agreements.
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Basics
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The Encyclopedia Britannica describes a domestic partnership as a "legal or personal recognition of the committed, marriagelike partnership of a couple." When couples enter into a domestic partnership, each of the partners signs a domestic partnership agreement. In the manner of a contract, this agreement outlines the legal rights and responsibilities of each partner.
Legal Rights
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Domestic partnership agreements define property, gifts and inheritances owned by each partner as personal, individually held property or jointly owned property. The document normally outlines the shares of income allocated to each partner and the parameters for sharing newly acquired property. Clarification and documentation of these legal rights help guide partners through the process of dividing property in the case of a dispute, misunderstanding or separation. By rights, signers can terminate the contract by giving written notice and undergoing a joint counseling session; each agreement outlines the amount of notice that must be given.
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Responsibilities
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In a domestic partnership agreement, the signers outline their obligations to each other. Typically, a domestic partnership agreement details who in the partnership is responsible for household chores and similar duties. These sections are generally viewed as good faith clauses, signifying the partners' mutual understanding of the basic responsibilities of living together. Partners can amend these responsibilities over time.
Requirements
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Though each domestic partnership agreement varies, most of them legally require basic parameters of each signer. For instance, each partner must be at least 18 years of age, mentally competent and entering the agreement by his own will. Neither partner can be currently married, legally separated or engaged in another domestic partnership.
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