• A residential and domestic partnership is a form of living together in a household. In a domestic partnership, the partners can be legally independent of one another.
• In Switzerland, a domestic partnership similar to marriage is known as “cohabitation”. But marriage or a registered partnership is a special form of domestic partnership.

• In Switzerland, cohabitation is an informal type of domestic partnership between unmarried partners. 
• A relationship is normally classed as cohabitation if the unmarried partners live together, lead a common life together, share responsibilities and support one another.

Benefits of cohabiting in Switzerland:

• Freedom in financial arrangements: individual financial arrangements, no legal regulations
• No need for divorce: There are no legal or financial complications if the partners separate

Cohabitation vs. marriage:

• There are both advantages and disadvantages to marriage and cohabitation. The difference lies in the associated rights and obligations.
• In Switzerland, marriage is a legally regulated union between two people. It is characterised by a formal procedure and state recognition. A registered partnership is legally equivalent to marriage. 
• Cohabitation describes a situation where two partners live together, but are not formally married. This usually involves fewer rights and obligations. 
• Cohabiting partners are not as well protected as married spouses in legal matters such as inheritance law, maintenance and social insurance.

Cohabitation checklist:

• Finances and property issues: income, expenses, debts, property, division of assets if the partners separate
• Maintenance and alimony: costs, care, alimony in the event of separation
• Lasting power of attorney: entitlement to make decisions in situations where one partner is unable to do so, medical and financial decisions
• Retirement provision and life insurance: regulations in retirement provision, beneficiary rule in life insurance, no automatic entitlement to a widow’s/widower’s or orphan’s pension in a cohabiting relationship 
• Inheritance law: will, no automatic right of inheritance in a cohabiting relationship like there is in marriage

Legal significance of marriage:

• Financial and legal unions: In a marriage, both spouses are responsible for joint family maintenance. 
• Custody and parental responsibility: If parents are married, they are both responsible for bringing up their child/children.
• Marital property regime: In a marriage, the matrimonial property regime of separation of property applies initially (i.e. the spouses’ assets and debts remain separate). 
• Inheritance law: In a marriage, the two spouses automatically inherit from one another (i.e. if one spouse dies, the surviving spouse is their legal heir).
• Social insurance: In Switzerland, spouses benefit from certain forms of social insurance, such as old-age and survivors’ insurance (AHV) or disability insurance (IV).
• Dissolution of marriage: The marriage can be dissolved either by divorce or through the death of one of the spouses. 

Checklist for insurance in marriage:

• Health insurance: compulsory basic health insurance, supplementary cover for alternative treatments or private clinics
• Third-party liability insurance: damage to third parties
• Household contents insurance: damage to personal property (e.g. due to theft, fire or water)
• Life insurance: financial support for the surviving spouse or the family if one partner dies
• Income protection insurance: financial support in the event of loss of earning capacity or disability due to illness or accident
• Legal protection insurance: legal disputes, costs for lawyers and court proceedings
• Retirement provision: pillar 3a and pillar 3b, saving for the time after retirement
• Accident insurance: financial support if one of the spouses becomes unable to work due to an accident

Benefits of marriage in Switzerland:

• Inheritance law: spouse automatically recognised as legal heir
• Social insurance and pension entitlements: entitlement to social insurance and pensions 
• Tax benefits: tax benefits in some cantons
• Legal union: certain rights and obligations, better protection in the event of separation or divorce
• Duty to support one another: legal duty to support and care for one another
• Visitation rights in medical matters: right to information and to make decisions if spouse has a medical emergency or requires hospitalisation
• Protection in bringing up children: shared parental responsibility and rights in relation to children

Marriage checklist:

• Prenuptial agreement: Regulate financial and legal matters with a prenuptial agreement if required (e.g. division of assets, inheritance law and maintenance in case you separate or divorce).
• Finances and property: Discuss your financial affairs. Clarify how income, expenses, savings objectives, debts and joint accounts are to be managed and how you would like to manage joint property such as real estate, assets and accounts. 
• Professional plans: Share your professional goals and plans with one another to make sure they align with your shared goals. This is particularly important if you have or are planning to have children.
• Bringing up children and maintenance: If you are planning to have children, you should discuss your views on raising children and finances. Think about maintenance issues, especially in case you separate or divorce. How would you arrange maintenance payments?
• Insurance: Review your existing insurance policies together. Make sure that both spouses are properly protected. Think of health insurance, life insurance and other insurance products.
• Medical matters: Discuss emergency medical treatment and determine how medical information should be available.
• Inheritance planning: Deal with inheritance early on and specify what should happen to assets if one of the spouses dies.