Palimony is the term used to describe these payments. The 1976 court case Marvin v. Marvin, in which the court ruled that financial agreements between unmarried partners were enforceable, gave rise to the term “palimony,” which is a combination of the words “pal” and “alimony.” The term was coined as a result of this decision.
Because not all states recognize it, it is determined state-by-state when and how much can be paid in alimony.
IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS Palimony is the financial support that is given to an unmarried partner after a relationship ends.
Palimony is not the same as alimony, which is a type of financial support that a court may award after a legal marriage has ended.
Due to the fact that not all states have laws governing palimony, the question of whether partners in a relationship are entitled to it can depend on where they live.
In states where palimony is legal, partners may need to have already made a verbal or written agreement before it can be enforced.
Understanding Palimony After a relationship ends, one partner of an unmarried couple can receive financial support in the form of palimony. It is frequently discussed in relation to couples who adhere to the rules of common law marriage. The relationship is still recognized as a marriage in the eyes of the law in a common-law marriage even though neither a marriage license nor a marriage ceremony has been performed.
Rhode Island recognizes common law marriage statutes based on case law in eight states: Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah.
