Legal and Financial Commitments

In order to protect the rights of partners, the following is a list of the "Legal and Financial Commitments" that should be recommended by the Church for couples that receive a Blessing of their same-sex relationship.  Please send additional ideas and suggestions to:  rspence406@aol.com

Power of Attorney

Power of attorney given to each other for decisions in the event of a medical emergency or other condition that prevents one partner from acting in their own behalf.

Health Insurance

If possible, either partner that has health insurance agrees to have coverage for the other added to their policy if the partner does not already have their own coverage and both assume responsibility for any hospital or medical expenses accumulated by either party.

Mutual Responsibility

Each partner agrees to share information with the other regarding all personal income and expenses, provide maintenance as needed to the other and share responsibility for any debt or obligations created by the action of the other for their mutual behalf.

Community Property

Financial commitment defining all income from either partner accumulated after the blessing of their union and assets purchased with that income, as being owned 50/50 by both partners regardless of which partner generated the income.

Alimony

Financial Commitment agreeing that, in the event of a permanent separation of the union, all community property will be split 50/50 and the partner with the highest income will make payments of 25% of the difference between both partner's income, at the time of separation, to the other partner for a period of 2 years.

Children in the Household

If there are children living in the household, each partner agrees to assume responsibility for all of the child's medical and other expenses and, in the event of a permanent separation, the partner with the highest income agrees to make additional payments to the other partner of 12.5% of the difference between each partner's income, at the time of separation, for each child under age 18 who continues to live with the other partner.

Sale of Residence or Household Goods

When legal title to the sole residence or household goods of the couple belong to one partner individually, or when the title is shared and a partial interest or property can be sold separately, mutual concent shall be required before there is any sale of all or part of the sole residence or household goods of the couple.