Ehepartner

Ehepartner is a term used in German-speaking contexts to denote a person who is married to another person. It is a gender-neutral way to refer to the spouse, encompassing both the male partner (Ehegatte) and the female partner (Ehefrau). In legal texts and official language, Ehepartner is commonly used to describe the marital relationship as a whole.

In Germany, marriage is a legally regulated partnership governed primarily by the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch (BGB). The marriage creates mutual rights and duties, including fidelity, mutual support, protection, and joint decision-making in family life. Parental responsibility for children typically extends to both parents. Property and finances may be governed by a matrimonial property regime; the default regime is Zugewinngemeinschaft unless a contract specifies a different arrangement. Spouses generally have equal legal status within the marriage.

Financial and administrative aspects often involve both partners. For example, married couples may file joint tax returns in some jurisdictions, which can affect tax liability. In the event of separation or divorce, mechanisms such as spousal maintenance, division of assets, and custody arrangements for children come into play, guided by applicable law and court decisions.

Inheritance and succession laws provide further protections for Ehepartner. Surviving spouses have statutory rights to a portion of the estate, and the specifics depend on national law, presence of children, and any valid will or testament. The status and rights of an Ehepartner thus cover daily life, asset management, family responsibilities, and what happens after the end of the marriage.

Historically, registered partnerships or civil unions for same-sex couples existed in some places, but many jurisdictions grant same legal status to marriages of Ehepartner regardless of the partners’ gender. The term emphasizes the equal, legally recognized partnership of the spouses.