What are the legal rights of an unmarried couple?

In Washington, unmarried couples do not have the same legal rights as those who are married. However, there are aspects of Washington marriage laws that provide some legal recognition to unmarried couples. Unmarried couples may enter into contracts, such as buyer-seller agreements, leases, and insurance policies. This means that, if one partner agrees to pay the rent or a loan, the other partner is legally responsible for those payments. Unmarried couples are also responsible for any debts of the other partner if they have co-signed a loan. Unmarried couples in Washington also have the right to file taxes jointly or separately. This is especially beneficial to those couples who have a large amount of income or debts, as they can share the burden of taxes between them. Unmarried partners also have the right to make medical decisions for each other in an emergency. They can also designate one another as the beneficiary on a will or insurance policy as well as make decisions about how the other partner will be buried. Washington law also recognizes the parental rights of unmarried couples. The courts may recognize the parental rights of both partners, and any child born to an unmarried couple is considered the legitimate child of both parents. Finally, Washington law recognizes the basic right of an unmarried partner to manage the resources that are jointly owned, as long as they are both legally competent. This includes the right to sell or rent out the property, as well as the right to use the assets for the welfare of both partners.

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