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Advance Planning by Same-Sex Couples

University of Kentucky, Lexington, e.riggle{at}uky.edu

Sharon S. Rostosky

University of Kentucky, Lexington

Robert A. Prather

University of Kentucky, Lexington

The lack of legal recognition of same-sex couples can leave partners vulnerable in a crisis or emergency. Advance planning is one strategy couples can use to establish legal rights. Analyses of data collected from both partners in 131 same-sex couples suggested that executing advance-planning documents (wills, powers of attorney for finance and health care, and living wills) was associated with age and couple-level relational variables. Older couples and couples that reported higher commitment levels were more likely to have executed the four documents. Couples who had disclosed their relationship to a higher percentage of their relatives were more likely to have executed wills and living wills. Implications of these findings for public policy and social services affecting same-sex couples are discussed.

Key Words: advance planning • disclosure • gay • lesbian • same-sex marriage

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