Advance planning by same-sex couples

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

The lack of legal recognition of same-sex couples can leave partners vulnerable in a crisis or emergency. Advance planning is one strategy couples can use to establish legal rights. Analyses of data collected from both partners in 131 same-sex couples suggested that executing advance-planning documents (wills, powers of attorney for finance and health care, and living wills) was associated with age and couple-level relational variables. Older couples and couples that reported higher commitment levels were more likely to have executed the four documents. Couples who had disclosed their relationship to a higher percentage of their relatives were more likely to have executed wills and living wills. Implications of these findings for public policy and social services affecting same-sex couples are discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)758-776
Number of pages19
JournalJournal of Family Issues
Volume27
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2006

Keywords

  • Advance planning
  • Disclosure
  • Gay
  • Lesbian
  • Same-sex marriage

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Sciences (miscellaneous)

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