Customer Reviews

A Legal Guide for Lesbian and Gay Couples

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My partner and I were super excited to get this book, only to realize when we got it that last year's edition wouldn't help at all. With the laws changing, or threatening or promising to, all the time,state-by-state,if you don't get the current year your not getting what you need, so used copies of this book really aren't a deal.

This NOLO guide provides practical recommendations in an easy-to-read, accessible format. The chapters provide guidelines for different situations and give very specific examples of how to create contracts that ensure that couples and families will have the kind of relationships that *they* want to have. Not all of the contract ideas in the book are strictly legal in nature. Most of them are designed to help couples and families determine what they personally consider fair in their lives. One of my favorite contracts is between a "teenager and the adults he lives with." Many of the examples deal with economic inequality in relationships. For example, in the section on home ownership, there is a discussion on how equity can be shared if the partners do not have equal financial contributions. There are specific examples for how to fairly determine the worth each partner's contribution if they are working on a "fixer-upper." There are also contracts that spell out financial support if one partner is working while the other is in school and vice versa. There is also a brief but valuable discussion of what to do if one of the partners receives public assistance. The authors do not assume that any relationship agreement is more "fair" than any other agreement, which they make clear when discussing unequal incomes in relationship. These are issues that ultimately make or break relationships. The other reviewer is correct in that it is essential to pay attention to current laws. The advice on using a known sperm donor should be used with caution and current legal advice, as should any decision concerning children. In fact, after reading this book and carefully considering the rights and responsibilities that the law spells out for married couples (and which you don't get any say in deciding), some couples may decide that having a lawful civil marriage isn't what they really want.