Families come in many shapes and forms these days and different parts of the world treat different types of unions, both formal and informal, very differently. Planning for couples globally can be very difficult, as clients seek to ascertain the myriad of laws and rights that exist in a client’s chosen jurisdiction of residence and, sometimes, also elsewhere.

Whatever the sexual orientation of a couple, there are legal needs that must be addressed. This applies to married, unmarried, civil union and cohabiting couples, especially in jurisdictions that allow common law marriage or palimony. Couples who are not traditionally married may also find that some jurisdictions consider them to be married whereas others do not, causing a multitude of potential legal difficulties.

The Estates, Trusts and Wealth Preservation Group at Dentons is well equipped to provide advice from all corners of the globe about the property rights of couples, presently together, separated or divorced, involving: preparation of pre-nuptial or post-nuptial agreements, anti-palimony, cohabitation and other domestic agreements. We also provide planning for what is to occur when a member of a couple dies, utilizing estate planning opportunities available only to married couples and others that are only available to those that are unmarried, as appropriate.

Dentons has the experience and knowledge to assist all types of couples with planning for the future.