Palimony

Gattsama · 2026-03-20T12:24:31+00:00

Ontario Businessman to Pay $50K+ a Month in Spousal Support Despite No Home or Kids Together

https://www.todocanada.ca/ontario-businessman-to-pay-50k-a-month-in-spousal-support-despite-no-home-or-kids-together/

Here you go. This is Canada...

IskanderM50KT · 2026-03-19T20:35:18+00:00

If you're in the US it looks like palimony is pretty rare, and outright prohibited in many states. When it does happen it involves people who earn a lot of money and got significant support from their partner (i.e. you support your spouse through medical school and residency or something like that).

There are a lot of myths around common law marriage. It's only recognized in seven states at this point, and even then it's "marriage by habit and repute". One of the requirements for it is that you must hold yourself out to the world as husband and wife. You don't get accidentally common law married just by living with someone for a certain amount of time.

This advice is all US-specific. I know Canada has some insane rules about support for cohabitating partners.

Historical_Eye3756 · 2026-03-19T12:42:51+00:00

I guess it won’t be long before a scum of the earth lawyer wins a case in court and gets their client half his assets and alimony.

According-Designer15 · 2026-03-19T05:08:13+00:00

Brother, yes, palimony exists, it's when unmarried couples who lived together like they were married end up in court over support obligations even though they never signed the papers, and some states recognize common law marriage or domestic partnership agreements that can trigger support payments after long-term cohabitation, so basically you can get all the financial obligations of marriage without any of the legal protections, which is why living together "like you're married" without actually being married can still screw you in some jurisdictions if she decides to lawyer up and claim she's entitled to support based on your relationship dynamic.

Hopeful_Divorce · 2026-03-18T21:23:26+00:00

Palimony cases are generally hard to win but it does depend on jurisdiction. In Ontario Canada, where I currently work common law marriage is recognized and it's not unusual to get spousal support if one person didn't work for most of the relationship or spent a lot of time off work taking care of kids. When I was in California I worked on a few palimony cases and they didn't go far because there wasn't enough evidence to win. The original palimony case, "Marvin v Marvin" she lost and didn't get any alimony but the case established the concept of alimony for non married partners in very limited circumstances. That was California. Other states with common law marriage might be easier.

The saddest cases I've seen are when a couple moves in together. One of them has a house and the other moves in. The one who moves in pays half the mortgage and maybe remodels the kitchen. Puts a ton of blood sweat and tears into fixing the place up, not to mention a ton of money on materials. Then they break up and the home owner says it's my house, screw you! I've seen that happen so many times. You can make a civil claim for it but most people don't keep good evidence.

After working on divorce cases for years I would never move in with someone without a cohabitation agreement. I got a prenup when I got remarried. Anyone who is offended by a cohab agreement or prenup is immature and not ready to be entering into a marriage or living together.

VintageTool · 2026-03-18T21:03:17+00:00

Palimony almost entirely went away when same sex marriages became legal.

Title	Palimony
Author	Historical_Eye3756
Upvotes	12
Comments	8
Date	March 18, 2026 8:55 PM UTC (4 months ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/Divorce_Men
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/Divorce_Men/comments/1rxg1s8/palimony/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/Divorce_Men/palimony.1575844 https://theredarchive.com/post/1575844

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