Non-marital Relationship

Live in / Common-law
Marriage / Live-in relationship/
Cohabitation

Non-marital Relationship
An agreement between a man and
woman to live together as husband
and wife
It is without legal formalities
Cohabitation on a regular basis
Usually for seven years

 Art. 147 of Family Code states that:

When a man and a woman who are
capacitated to marry each other, live
exclusively with husband and wife without
the benefit of marriage or under a void
marriage, their wages and salaries shall be
owned by them in equal shares and the
property acquired by both of them through
their work or industry shall be governed by
the rules on co-ownership.

Requisites for Article 147 to apply

For Article 147 to apply, the man
and the woman:
(1) must be capacitated to marry
each other
(2) live exclusively with each other as
husband and wife; and
(3) their union is without the benefit
of marriage or their marriage is void.

ADVANTAGES
Some people may use their living in
situation to have a trial marriage and
test the the grounds before going on
to the real battle which is marriage.
Living in with someone also means
having to split the monthly dues and
bills with someone.

ADVANTAGES
Cohabitating takes the pressure off of
the relationship

DISADVANTAGES
Couples go into cohabitation with a
marriage in mind and some go out
of cohabitation with a different idea.
Having to share a living space with
your partner can definitely change
your perception about him or her.
Living together before marriage can
isolate the couple from society family
and friends.

DISADVANTAGES
Couples with no intention of marrying
who decide to cohabit are forming
unstable living arrangements that
can have negative effects on their
emotional, financial and sometimes
physical well-being.