{"id":351876,"date":"2016-04-04T11:02:38","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T16:02:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/family\/living-together\/tips-for-unmarried-parents-who-want-to-raise-children-together.html"},"modified":"2024-08-05T14:12:00","modified_gmt":"2024-08-05T19:12:00","slug":"tips-for-unmarried-parents-who-want-to-raise-children-together","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/living-together\/tips-for-unmarried-parents-who-want-to-raise-children-together.html","title":{"rendered":"Tips for Unmarried Parents Who Want to Raise Children Together"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\">\n        <h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">Tips for Unmarried Parents Who Want to Raise Children Together<\/h1>\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/jade-yeban-j-d\/\">Jade Yeban, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a\n                href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/aisha-success-esq\/\">Aisha Success, Esq.<\/a>\n                | Last updated\n        <time>\n                            August 05, 2024\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"fl-key-takeaways fl-mb30\" data-testid=\"fl-key-takeaways\">\n    <div class=\"fl-card-content\">\n        <div class=\"fl-card-body fl-card-bg-teal fl-flex fl-flex-column\">\n                            <h2 class=\"fl-card-title fl-h2 fl-no-margin\">Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n                        <p>Marriage status impacts parental rights, like paternity. Unmarried fathers, for example, must go through several legal steps to establish paternity.&nbsp; Tips for unmarried parents raising children together can help these parents navigate parenthood.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Not all couples want to get married. Even if the couple has children together or&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/living-together.html\">lives under the same roof<\/a>, they may choose not to get married. After all,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/marriage\/marriage-faqs.html\">marriage<\/a>&nbsp;is complicated. But, not being married to your significant other can present other challenges. This is especially true when there are children. If you plan, you can avoid many of these challenges.<\/p>\r\n<p>Below are tips for unmarried parents who want to raise children together:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"#birth-certificate\">Ensure both parents&#8217; names are on the birth certificate<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#last-name\">Choose a last name<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#benefits\">Qualify your child for government benefits<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#adopt\">Adopt a child as unmarried parents<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#adopt-partners-child\">Adopt your partner&#8217;s child<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#tax\">Claim your child on tax forms<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#parental-role\">Play a live-in parental role&nbsp;<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#breakup\">Navigate a breakup as unmarried parents<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#assistance\">Seek public assistance&nbsp;<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><a id=\"birth-certificate\"><\/a>Ensure Both Unmarried Parents&#8217; Names Are on the Birth Certificate<\/h2>\r\n<p>One of the best tips for unmarried parents is to include both names on the birth certificate. In most states, adding the father&#8217;s name to the certificate will help establish legal paternity or paternal rights.&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>Legal parentage gives the father rights to custody and visitation. Visitation is also known as parenting time. Parents&#8217; legal rights and responsibilities include custody rights, visitation rights, and child support obligations.&nbsp;In some states, the name alone will not guarantee such rights.&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>Any child born to a married, opposite-sex couple is legally presumed to be the child of the husband. But when they are not married parents, there&#8217;s no such presumption.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Paternity Affidavits<\/h3>\r\n<p>Most states require unmarried fathers to sign an affidavit&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/paternity\/paternity-determinations-voluntary-and-formal-proceedings.html\">acknowledging their paternity<\/a>. Both parents should sign and notarize a written statement acknowledging the father&#8217;s paternity.<\/p>\r\n<p>An affidavit alone won&#8217;t suffice in establishing paternal rights. The couple will still need a judgment of paternity entered into by the court. Courts will enter the judgment if the affidavit is signed.<\/p>\r\n<p>The child&#8217;s mother must also agree that the person is the child&#8217;s father. In some instances, the mother might want a DNA test to prove paternity before she signs the affidavit.<\/p>\r\n<p>Your state&#8217;s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/w2w\/index.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bureau of Vital Statistics<\/a>&nbsp;keeps records of all birth certificates. Check with your own state&#8217;s bureau to see if they keep paternity affidavits, and if so, yours is on file. Some states, like Kentucky, require a certified court order to change the father on the birth certificate.<\/p>\r\n<h2><a id=\"last-name\"><\/a>Choose a Last Name of Your Liking<\/h2>\r\n<p>Most states allow any name to go on a child&#8217;s birth certificate. This includes first, middle, and last names.<\/p>\r\n<p>The child doesn&#8217;t have to take either of the parents&#8217; names, but they could take one or the other. Or, you can hyphenate the two names. Some parents even give one parent&#8217;s last name as the child&#8217;s middle name and the other parent&#8217;s last name as the child&#8217;s last name.<\/p>\r\n<p>If you need a little more time to decide, you can amend your child&#8217;s birth certificate later. You can do this through your state&#8217;s Bureau of Vital Statistics. You should note that this can be a complicated process. Generally, if you want to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/marriage\/changing-your-name.html\">change your child&#8217;s name<\/a> or even amend an incorrect spelling of a name, the state will want a court order. This can be frustrating and time-consuming.<\/p>\r\n<h2><a id=\"benefits\"><\/a>Qualify Your Child for Eligible Government Benefits<\/h2>\r\n<p>As long as your name is on the child&#8217;s birth certificate, your biological and legal children are eligible for government benefits. This includes&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/socialsecurity\/basics\/social-security-survivor-benefits-for-children.html\">Social Security survivorship<\/a>&nbsp;benefits, government pension, etc.<\/p>\r\n<p>If your name isn&#8217;t included on the birth certificate, your child might still be eligible for benefits. But, they&#8217;ll face the hassles of proving paternity.<\/p>\r\n<p>The key is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/paternity\/paternity-introduction.html\">proving paternity<\/a> to the government agency, which is simpler through the birth certificate or paternity affidavit at the time of, or shortly after, your child&#8217;s birth.<\/p>\r\n<h2><a id=\"adopt\"><\/a>Unmarried Parents Adopting a Child<\/h2>\r\n<p>All states allow single parents to adopt through a process called &quot;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/adoption\/single-parent-adoption.html\">single-parent adoption<\/a>.&quot; Being married is not a prerequisite to adoption.<\/p>\r\n<p>But, adopting a child jointly as an unmarried couple may cause issues that even single parents do not face when adopting. Some states do allow unmarried couples to adopt, but it is the most uncommon form of adoption.<\/p>\r\n<p>If you are an unmarried couple trying to adopt a child, you may face more scrutiny from prospective birth mothers and adoption agencies. If you and your partner aren&#8217;t married, you may have to do more work to prove to social services and government agencies that your home is stable enough to raise children.<\/p>\r\n<p>When an unmarried couple&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/adoption\/who-may-adopt-overview.html\">adopts a child jointly<\/a>, they&#8217;re both the child&#8217;s legal parents, with equal rights and responsibilities to the child. This is true even if the unmarried parents separate, in which case each parent has a right to ask the family court for custody, visitation, and child support from the other parent.<\/p>\r\n<h2><a id=\"adopt-partners-child\"><\/a>Adopting Your Partner&#8217;s Child<\/h2>\r\n<p>When someone who&#8217;s not a biological parent adopts their partner&#8217;s child, this is called a &quot;second-parent adoption.&quot; These are most common in stepparent-stepchild scenarios.<\/p>\r\n<p>States also grant second-parent adoptions when a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/adoption\/legal-issues-for-gay-and-lesbian-adoption.html\">same-sex partner adopts<\/a>&nbsp;their partner&#8217;s child. This is a common way for same-sex couples to raise families.<\/p>\r\n<p>When the adopting parent is married to one of the biological parents, second-parent adoptions are commonly approved. The courts favor situations where the adopting couple is legally married, and the child will continue living with the couple. Courts view such adoptions as improving the structure of the family. Second-parent adoptions by unmarried couples are less favored.<\/p>\r\n<p>Unless parents have been deemed &quot;unfit&quot; by some legal process or have abandoned their child, they have a right to parent their own child. Because of this,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/paternity\/parental-rights-unmarried-fathers-and-adoption.html\">second-parent adoptions<\/a>&nbsp;cannot be granted unless one of the following applies:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Both of the child&#8217;s legal parents&#8217; consent<\/li>\r\n<li>The noncustodial parent is deceased<\/li>\r\n<li>The noncustodial parent has been deemed &quot;unfit&quot; by a court<\/li>\r\n<li>The noncustodial parent has abandoned the child<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Social services will initially determine whether a parent has&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/parental-rights-and-liability\/terminating-parental-rights.html\">abandoned the child or is unfit<\/a>, and then may seek to have the noncustodial parent&#8217;s rights terminated. If the noncustodial parent has paid support and maintained a relationship with the child, that parent must give consent before a second-parent adoption can be approved.<\/p>\r\n<p>Once a second-parent adoption is successful, the adoptive parent has the same rights and duties as a biological parent. This means that if the couple ever separates, the adoptive parent has custody and visitation rights and a duty to support the child.<\/p>\r\n<h2><a id=\"tax\"><\/a>Claiming Children on Tax Forms<\/h2>\r\n<p>Only one parent can claim the children as dependents on their taxes if the parents are unmarried. Either unmarried parent is entitled to the exemption so long as they support the child.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Which Parent Should Claim the Child on Their Tax Returns?<\/h3>\r\n<p>Typically, the best way to decide which parent should&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/tax\/federal-taxes\/the-parent-tax-credit.html\">claim the child<\/a>&nbsp;is to determine which parent has the higher income. The parent with the higher income will receive a bigger tax break. The parents can agree to split the tax return, even though only one parent is receiving it.<\/p>\r\n<p>If the parents do not agree, they can complete a form (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/pub\/irs-pdf\/f8332.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Form 8332<\/a>) with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to claim their child for exemption on their taxes. If you have questions about your taxes, you should connect with a tax professional or tax attorney to help you navigate your taxes.<\/p>\r\n<h2><a id=\"parental-role\"><\/a>A Non-Parent Playing a Live-In Parental Role<\/h2>\r\n<p>Issues can arise when a nonparent, who is living with the child, acts as that child&#8217;s parent regarding certain decisions.<\/p>\r\n<p>The legality of this nonparent&#8217;s authority to do this depends on several factors:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>No third party, unless that third party has obtained legal custody or guardianship, will have priority to make educational or medical decisions over a parent. Even a stepparent would not have such authority.<\/li>\r\n<li>Since schools are legally liable for the safety and care of the children, they can only accept signatures and permission slips from the children&#8217;s legal guardians. An unmarried partner of a legal parent does not qualify as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/guardianship\/how-to-establish-guardianship-of-a-child-faqs.html\">legal guardian<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<li>Nonparents may be permitted to pick up children from school if a legal parent informs the school.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Contact your child&#8217;s school to find out what procedures are necessary to allow nonparents to be involved in making some decisions.<\/p>\r\n<h2><a id=\"breakup\"><\/a>What Happens When Unmarried Parents Break Up?<\/h2>\r\n<p>If both parents are legal parents, biologically or through adoption, they each have an equal right to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-custody\/the-various-types-of-child-custody.html\">pursue&nbsp;custody<\/a>. Neither parent can deprive the other of this right. Once one of the parents is granted custody, they cannot deprive the other of their visitation rights.<\/p>\r\n<p>The noncustodial parent must continue to be involved in the child&#8217;s life through visitation and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support.html\">child support<\/a>. Child support payments are a critical part of ensuring financial support for the child. These are typically mandated by a court and are based on the parents&#8217; income, the child&#8217;s needs, and the custody arrangement.<\/p>\r\n<p>A co-parenting plan can be developed to outline how you and the other parent will care for the child. This includes parenting time, decision-making responsibilities, and communication guidelines. The main goal is to prioritize the child&#8217;s well-being and maintain a stable environment for them.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Seeking Parental Rights After a Breakup<\/h3>\r\n<p>If an unmarried partner is not a legal parent of the child, legal rights for visitation are not automatic or guaranteed. They would first have to establish legal parentage. Unmarried partners can enter into a written agreement if they both want to be a part of the child&#8217;s life. This agreement could include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/paternity\/child-visitation-child-custody-and-unmarried-fathers.html\">visitation<\/a> and support. But it is important to know that such an agreement may not be upheld in court.<\/p>\r\n<p>If an agreement can&#8217;t be made and the nonparent wants to pursue rights in court, the outcome will be based on state law. Unless the legal parent is deemed to be&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-custody\/what-is-an-unfit-parent-.html\">unfit<\/a>, the court will favor the parents over the nonparents.<\/p>\r\n<p>In very limited circumstances, some states do grant some form of visitation to nonparents if it is found to be in the best interests of the child. Check your own state&#8217;s laws and consult an experienced family law attorney for answers and guidance to your situation.<\/p>\r\n<h2><a id=\"assistance\"><\/a>Can Unmarried Parents Living Together Get Public Assistance?<\/h2>\r\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support\/beyond-child-support-public-assistance.html\">Public assistance<\/a> eligibility for unmarried parents living together depends on the specific program and your state. While living and raising children together doesn\u2019t automatically disqualify you from assistance, it can impact your ability to qualify for programs that use household income to determine eligibility.<\/p>\r\n<p>Programs like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fns.usda.gov\/snap\/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SNAP<\/a> (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.benefits.gov\/benefit\/613\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TANF<\/a> (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) use household income and household size (among other criteria) to determine eligibility.<\/p>\r\n<p>Check with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support\/state-public-assistance-welfare-information.html\">your state\u2019s social services or human services office<\/a> for eligibility rules in your area.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Unmarried Parents Raising Children Together? Get Help With Your Legal Questions<\/h2>\r\n<p>If you still have questions or concerns after reading these tips for unmarried parents, you may need legal help. Getting professional legal help is a good first step to ensure you have a voice in the process and understand your rights.<\/p>\r\n<p>Lawyers can provide valuable legal advice about parental rights and child custody issues related to physical custody or sole custody. They can also help you draft necessary legal documents, like a custody arrangement or parenting plan. Attorneys will help represent you in family court until you receive a final custody order.<\/p>\r\n<p>Find a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/family-law\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">family law attorney<\/a>&nbsp;near you today to learn more.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">Yes<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" 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was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--solved-problem\"\n                        >Solved my problem<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--other\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback was-this-helpful__feedback--negative\">\n                <fieldset>\n                    <legend class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why was this not helpful?<\/legend>\n                    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message\" role=\"status\">\n                        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message-text\"><\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Missing Information\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                        >Missing the information I need<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Too complicated\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                        >Too complicated \/ too many steps<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--dated\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Out of date\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--dated\"\n                        >Out of date<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__form-buttons-container\">\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--positive at-feedback-submit fl-button secondary\"\n                    type=\"submit\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Submit<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--cancel fl-button primary disabled\"\n                    type=\"reset\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Cancel<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-times-circle medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message\" role=\"status\">\n        <i class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-icon fa fa-check\"><\/i>\n        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-text\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-section-sidebar\">\n        <div class=\"fl-editors-summary\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content\">\n                    <h2>Can I Solve This on My Own or Do I Need an Attorney?<\/h2>\n                <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\">\n            \n        <\/div>\n        <ul class=\"fl-list-style-none\">\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    You may want to consider creating powers of attorney or prenup agreements\n\n                <\/li>\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    Getting an attorney&#8217;s advice is a good idea if there are children or substantial property involved\n\n                <\/li>\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    An attorney can help you responsibly enter and exit cohabitation\n\n                <\/li>\n                    <\/ul>\n                    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\">\n                <p>Get tailored advice about property, finances, and child custody when living together. Many attorneys offer free consultations.<\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n                            <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link fl-flex\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link\">\n                <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <p class=\"find-attorney\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/family-law\/#USER_GEO\/?fli=esum:FL24\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Find a local attorney<\/a><\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"email-subscription fl-mb30\">\n    <div class=\"email-subscription-header\">\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-content\">\n            <h3 class=\"fl-callout-sm fl-no-margin\">Stay Up-to-Date With How the Law Affects Your Life<\/h3>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-image fl-flex fl-items-end\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\"\n                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             <div class=\"fl-image-card__content\">\n            <div class=\"action-card-layout\">\n                <h2 class=\"action-card-layout__heading\">\n                    Don&#8217;t Forget About Estate Planning\n                <\/h2>\n                <div class=\"action-card-layout__content fl-text-lg\">\n                    <p>Living with a partner is an ideal time to create or change your <a title=\"DIY Forms\" href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/forms\/estate-planning.html\">estate planning forms.<\/a> Would you like to add your partner to your will? Also, consider creating a power of attorney so your partner can access your financial accounts and bills. A health care directive is necessary if you want your partner to make your medical decisions if you ever become incapacitated.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/forms\/estate-planning.html\" class=\"action-card-layout__button fl-button fl-link-button secondary\">\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Start Planning<\/span>\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FindLaw provides tips for successful co-parenting as unmarried parents. Learn about custody arrangements, child support, filing taxes, and other legal topics.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41135,"featured_media":0,"parent":351867,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"app\/Http\/Controllers\/Templates\/ArticleWithBreadcrumbsController.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_autodraft_ids":[],"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_show_comment_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","_is_real_time_mode":false,"_realtime_collaborators":"","footnotes":"","cf_checklist_status":[]},"categories":[2730],"tags":[],"state_laws_tags":[],"flmsa":[],"class_list":["post-351876","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-family"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/351876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41135"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=351876"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/351876\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":398944,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/351876\/revisions\/398944"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/351867"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=351876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=351876"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=351876"},{"taxonomy":"state_laws_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/state_laws_tags?post=351876"},{"taxonomy":"flmsa","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/flmsa?post=351876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}