Write personal loan agreement

If you and your sweetie live together, you may still have to heed the financial legalities of marriage. "Moving in together without explicitly spelling out the financial rules of engagement could lead to a costly palimony suit down the road," counsels Violet P. Woodhouse, attorney and coauthor of Divorce and Money: How to Make the Best Financial Decisions During Divorce (Nolo.com).

Setting up a household with your significant other is a business partnership as well as a love relationship. Far from being unromantic, "premarital money talk leads to greater intimacy as a couple," says Woodhouse. When you and your partner avoid discussing savings and spending habits and neglect to set personal and financial goals, you make a potentially explosive mistake, Woodhouse cautions. She offers these guidelines for unmarried domestic partners:

1. Never contribute money to buy a major asset, such as a house or a car, that will be held solely in the name of your partner.

2. Don't become so financially dependent that a breakup of the relationship or your partner's death would leave you financially devastated.

3. Be clear with your partner about your expectations and intentions. Even if he won't sign a written agreement, document your understanding of the arrangement in a letter and send a copy to your lawyer or some other third party you can trust.

4. Never write a check to your partner without stating on the check whether it is a gift or loan.

5. Don't refer to your partner as "my husband"--that could lead to common-law claims.