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In the United States, there are 5.5 million cohabitating, unmarried couples - that's 11 million people, or more than 5 percent of the country's population - and their ranks continue to swell.

It's no secret that most of these people are living different financial lives than those of married couples. For every positive associated with "living together" - such as avoiding the so-called marriage tax - there are several minuses. Primary among them are access to health care and retirement benefits.

Garrett and Neiman, longtime financial planners, look at the challenges facing nonmarried couples and give advisors - and their clients - a guide to maximizing benefits for these nontraditional couples. The book is service-oriented, with checklists at the end of each chapter, detailing how to deal with issues like insurance, retirement planning, estate planning and trusts for children. The book is easy to read, well laid out and has its heart in the right place. With an increasing number of Americans finding that marriage isn't - or can't be - for them, it's a book pitched at any advisor who knows that the bonds of wedded bliss aren't the only way that a couple can be attached for life.

Will Lietch, Registered Rep.


I love a book that feels like it was written with me in mind, and Money Without Matrimony is one of those books. It leads you step-by-step through the very complex issue of financial planning. And, unlike most books on the topic, it advises unmarried couples -- gay or straight -- about how to plan for living without the enormous financial advantages that marriage provides, such as Social Security survivor benefits.

Lisa Bennett, Director of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Family Project, www.HRC.org/Family


Garrett, Sheryl & Debra A. Neiman. Money Without Matrimony: The Unmarried Couple's Guide to Financial Security. Dearborn Trade. Jun. 2005. c.288p. index. ISBN 1-4195-0688-9. pap. $21.95. BUS
Certified financial planners Garrett (Garrett's Guide to Financial Planning) and Neiman here target unmarried couples who are cohabiting or considering it. Their guide to money management outlines the legal and financial challenges unmarried partners face and provides specific advice for addressing those issues. The authors begin with suggestions for talking about finances with a partner and setting financial goals. They then cover bill paying, bank accounts, property ownership, insurance, domestic partner benefits, charitable donations, and financial issues related to children. There are chapters on retirement and estate planning and a particularly good discussion on taxes that offers ways to make the most of the tax laws, including "bunching" deductions, so that cohabiting couples can save real dollars when it comes time to pay Uncle Sam. Each chapter finishes with a list of "Bottom Lines"-tasks that will help couples take steps to accomplish financial planning goals. A list of resources points readers to helpful books, web sites, and agencies. Recommended for most public libraries.-Joan Pedzich, Harris Beach LLP, Rochester, NY

Ron Shank, Associate Publisher
Library Journal


The unfortunate (and sometimes tragic) truth in our society is that unmarried couples of all genders and persuasions are routinely denied the more than 1,140 different legal protections afforded by the marriage ceremony. In Money Without Matrimony, two highly-respected members of the financial planning community give you a readable, personal guide to where the gaps are and how to address them, step-by-step, using real-world examples, offering real-world wisdom. At the end of the book, you won't feel quite so much like a second-class member of our marriage-centric economy.

Robert Veres, Publisher of Inside Information, author of The Cutting Edge in Financial Services


Money Without Matrimony addresses the unique financial planning needs of one of the fastest growing segments of our population. Unmarried couples who share emotional and financial commitments have to plan ahead to protect each other. Garrett and Neiman offer practical advice and use real-world examples to illustrate concepts. I highly recommend this book not only for all unmarried couples and but also for financial professionals who work with unmarried couples.

Dee Lee, author of Women and Money


This is a wonderful resource -- concise, clearly-expressed, and empowering. It skillfully integrates the essential elements of financial planning for couples: information, emotional intelligence and inspiration!

Frederick Hertz, attorney and co-author, Legal Guide for Lesbian & Gay Couples, Nolo Press


"Read this book for practical, easy-to-read, and essential financial advice for unmarried couples who recognize that rules and tools of everyday life don't always apply equally. The future really does belong to those who prepare for it. An important contribution."

Phyllis Bernstein, CPA, co-author of Financial Planning for CPAs and Managing Client Expectations in an Uncertain Market


Sheryl Garrett is one of the true financial planning innovators. Along with co-author, Debra Neiman, she continues to break new ground with "Money Without Matrimony." It is indispensable for unmarried couples. Amidst so much mass media financial noise, Garrett's book stands out with its rare common sense and clear explanations. Like Garrett and Neiman, this book is a trusted advisor for the way we live in the 21st century.

Richard J. Koreto, Editor-in-Chief, Advising Boomers Magazine

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