Am I in a de facto relationship?

We get asked this question a lot. There appears to be a lot of uncertainty about when a relationship becomes a de facto relationship. This isn't surprising given that different agencies, such as Centrelink or the Department of Immigration, apply different rules.

Two people (whether of the same or opposite sex) are in a de facto relationship for the purposes of the Family Law Act if: they are not married to each other; are not related by family; but are living together as a couple on a genuine domestic basis.

While that definition might seem clear, in reality, though, the definition can still require the court to make a determination about whether or not a de facto relationship exists.