Just Before You "Pass" On Saying "I Do"

In recent years, more and more couples are opting to live together without getting married, for a variety of reasons. The State of Israel has enacted clear laws addressing the division of property for instances when couples who are legally married decide to separate; however, if a couple decides to not be formally married, they are deemed a "common law couple," and then matters become more complicated.

Property rights of common law couples, in the event of a separation or, heaven forbid, if one of them dies, are anchored mainly in case law and not in legislation. In Israel, unlike in many other countries, the term "common law couple" is neither defined nor uniformly regulated in legislation.