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What does the government consider a couple, anyway?

RNZ's money correspondent Susan Edmunds answers your questions. Photo: RNZ Send your questions to How is a couple relationship determined? If two people are in a relationship but physically and financially remain independent can they remain as solo rather than as a couple? I've had lots of questions over the years about how government departments define a relationship. It can be quite tricky. From what I've seen, sometimes people who don't necessarily think of themselves as being a couple can sometimes be classified as one if they seek help from the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), or other agencies. MSD says people who are married, in a civil union or de facto are counted as in a relationship. There are few things that contribute to being considered "de facto". They include being emotionally committed to each other, financially interdependent, sharing responsibilities, holidaying and socialising together, sharing bills, having a sexual relationship, supporting each other and other people thinking of them as a couple. Even if you don't live together, you could be captured, if you're apart for health reasons, financial reasons or work reasons, or because one of you needs rest home care. If you're determined to be in a relationship, the government expects you to be willing to financially support each other. My partner and I have a contracting out relationship property agreement and for practical reasons share only our living costs. In that situation, if one of us is in need of care, does the government still include both sets of assets and money? If the answer is 'yes', surely this is yet another example of how making one's own arrangements and plans again is undermined by the state for older people. In our situation it is actually not an issue in reality, but I can imagine how it might be for many others. And related to that, relationship property rules don't really kick in until a three year or so mark. Again, is that how MSD define a relationship? There is not a relationship duration test, and your contracting out agreement will not make a difference unless you have actually separated and are no longer a couple. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.