Financial Planning for Unmarried Couples in South Africa

The law treats you as strangers

Without marriage or a registered civil union, partners have no automatic inheritance rights and limited claim on each other's assets. The intestate succession rules favour blood relatives, not a long-term partner.

A cohabitation agreement and updated will are not optional extras — they define who inherits, who manages the household if one partner dies, and how joint property is split if you separate.

Document joint property properly

If you buy a home together, register ownership percentages on the title deed and agree bond liability in writing. One name on the bond with both paying the instalment is a common source of dispute.

Keep records of who contributed to deposit, renovations and running costs if ownership is unequal.

Insurance and medical aid

Name each other as beneficiaries on life policies where appropriate. On medical aid, confirm dependant rules — an unmarried partner may not qualify as a dependant on all schemes.

Use MyGenie's Life Partner calculator to stress-test single-income scenarios and size cover without assuming marital default protections.

This article is illustrative and educational. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Figures are examples only — model your own situation in MyGenie or speak to a licensed financial adviser.