Avoliitto

Avoliitto is the Finnish term for a living-together relationship in which two adults share a home and a romantic life without being married or entering a registered partnership. It denotes a de facto partnership rather than a formal legal status. People in avoliitto often co-reside, manage daily finances jointly, and raise a family together, but the arrangement does not create automatic marriage-like rights or duties.

Legal status and rights are limited: avoliitto does not provide automatic rights to a partner’s property upon death, nor to a survivor’s pension or other marriage-related benefits. Each partner generally owns what is in their own name unless they have arranged otherwise. To secure specific rights or define financial arrangements, couples may draw up a cohabitation agreement (avoliitto-sopimus) or otherwise use contract law to regulate property, debts, and arrangements if the relationship ends.

Children born to or adopted by cohabiting partners are entitled to parental responsibilities under general family law, and child support obligations are determined by standard rules. However, many practical questions—such as inheritance, housing, or social benefits—are addressed through individual contracts or wills rather than by avoliitto itself.

Culturally, avoliitto is common and widely accepted in Finland as a flexible form of partnership. It offers an alternative to marriage while enabling long-term domestic life, but couples who want specific protections are advised to create legally binding agreements to clarify rights and responsibilities.