Do I need a co-hab agreement if me and my partner are just renting?

Yes, it’s a good idea to have a co-habitation agreement, because it does more than just cover your living arrangements.

A thorough co-habitation agreement can bring stability to many different areas of your lives together:  Finances (even beyond allocating responsibility for rent); who pays for what bills; access to bank accounts and retirement savings; and how major joint purchases will be covered (including how the items will be divided if your relationship ends).

It can also cover spousal support, and – if you have children together, or if either of you had children from a prior relationship – it can address certain important issues in that regard.