When a marriage goes south, the parties can file for a divorce to legally end the commitment. When a domestic partnership goes south, you can take steps to end the obligation you have to your partner. It is important that you do this properly so that you aren’t on the hook for anything once you end the relationship.
One thing that you might not realize is that you will have to go through many of the same steps that a married person has to go through when he or she is divorcing. For example, you and your ex will have to decide who gets what.
The property division process is sometimes a contentious process because you want to keep the things you worked hard to get and your ex wants the same. It is sometimes possible for the property division issues to be worked out through an amicable agreement. In most cases, this is a faster process than having to turn to the courts.
If you and your ex had an agreement about what would happen if the relationship ended, which is known as a domestic partnership agreement, that document would govern what happened. In this case, you have to make sure that the agreement was legally handled when it was created and signed.
As you are ending the domestic partnership, don’t fall into letting your emotions lead you. Thinking emotionally can lead to you not getting the settlement you need. It can make the negotiations difficult, and it can have a negative impact on the case. Instead, think with a clear head about what options you have as you work things out so you can make a clean break from the relationship.
Source: FindLaw, “Ending a Domestic Partnership,” accessed Dec. 23, 2016
