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Designed by lawyers. Made by you.
Jointly helps you collaboratively create a relationship agreement for managing your property and finances during your relationship and in case it ends.
Review our tutorial to get up to speed on the law in your province, and learn about what your options are in your prenup, postnup, or cohabitation agreement.
Guided prompts make conversations easier, and help you decide what to put in your agreement.
Fill out a straightforward questionnaire to create an agreement that fits your relationship. Jointly was designed by lawyers, so you can have confidence in the agreement you build together.
Each of you need Independent Legal Advice from a lawyer to make your agreement enforceable. Once that’s done, sign your agreement!
Our team is led by Aimee and Amanda, two experienced lawyers who are deeply committed to access to justice, community building, and helping people solve everyday legal problems. Having seen firsthand the challenges ordinary people face in accessing reliable legal services, they founded Jointly to create more affordable, accessible solutions for everyone.
A cohabitation agreement is the only way to make sure your property and finances are protected, and divided in a way that fits your personal circumstances if your relationship ends.
Create a fair, lawyer-approved prenup together online. Jointly helps you build a clear, enforceable agreement before marriage, so you both know where you stand.
Moving in together? Protect your finances and property with a cohabitation agreement. Jointly makes it easy to create one collaboratively, affordably, and online.
A cohabitation agreement is a legal contract between two people who live together in a romantic relationship, but are not married. It outlines financial commitments, property ownership, and responsibilities during the relationship and in the event of a breakup – essentially the same subjects that would be included in a prenup or postnup/marriage agreement, just without the wedding date.
Alberta calls common-law relationships “adult interdependent partnerships.” You are an “adult interdependent partner if:
It sounds pretty straightforward, but it can get complicated. Making a cohabitation agreement can clarify that you are living in an adult interdependent relationship, and precisely when that started. This is often a source of dispute when couples separate as it has a significant impact on whether and how family property is divided and whether spousal support can be paid. It can also clarify that your relationship is not an adult interdependent relationship, and that you are instead just companions.
Cohabitation agreements can prevent expensive and stressful legal disputes in the event of a breakup by clearly defining expectations and obligations at the beginning of the relationship. The key benefits of a cohabitation agreement are: protecting the rights of both partners; clarifying financial contributions and responsibilities during the relationship; ensuring fair treatment of both partners if the relationship ends; and reducing the risk of costly legal disputes after separation.
The purpose of a cohabitation agreement is to provide clarity and legal protection for couples who are living together but are not married. This legal contract outlines each partner’s rights and responsibilities, especially when it comes to property, debts, income, and other financial matters.
For common law couples, a cohabitation agreement can help avoid disputes and confusion by spelling out what will happen if the relationship ends. Without such an agreement, provincial law will determine the division of property and support, which may not reflect the couple’s wishes or be the best fit for their circumstances.
A cohabitation agreement can be customized to meet a couple’s unique needs. Common inclusions are:
Yes, cohabitation agreements are legally binding in Alberta. It’s possible for a cohabitation agreement to be overturned in Alberta under certain circumstances. Some things that make your agreement vulnerable are (1) when one person was pressured into signing it; (2) if either person wasn’t honest about their assets when they made the agreement; and (3) if your agreement is significantly unfair given the circumstances of your relationship. We have built our agreements to address these concerns if you follow the instructions in the course.
No, a cohabitation agreement does not legally have to be written by a lawyer. However, using a platform like Jointly, which was built by lawyers, or working with a lawyer in your province is highly recommended to ensure the agreement complies with provincial laws, is clearly worded, and will hold up in court. Poorly drafted agreements (like many you can find online for free) are more likely to be challenged or set aside – meaning they won’t protect you if your relationship ends.
In Alberta, you have to have a lawyer fill out a certificate of independent legal advice to confirm that you have read and understood your agreement. A certificate that you can take to a lawyer in your area is included with every Jointly agreement.
The average cost of a cohabitation agreement in Alberta ranges from $2,000 to $5,000. This includes legal fees, financial disclosures, and possible negotiations between both parties.
Using an online service like Jointly is a more affordable option, offering a fixed price of $379 for a legally valid agreement. We have also designed Jointly to be a collaborative process where you and your partner can learn and make your decisions together, instead of getting separate lawyers to negotiate for you, which can feel adversarial.
Your cohabitation agreement can last for the duration of your relationship, or be changed from time to time. We recommend reviewing your agreement and making sure it still fits your relationship whenever you have a significant life change, or every 5 years. We’ve built a review option into our agreements to make this process quick and easy.
The best time to make a relationship agreement is when you move in together.
