thursday, novemfcer 171977
daily nebraskan
Despite legal hassles and
some landlord pressure,
cohabitation is popular
By Anne Carothers
If anyone ever though living together is easier than
getting married, they were and still are mistaken. Cohabi
tation has its hassles and is more expensive than being
married.
One of the biggest hassles is that it is illegal in Nebras
ka. Adultery laws are valid until July 1, 1978, when
Nebraska's new criminal code will go into effect.
According to Robert Lange, UNL Student Legal Ser
vices Center attorney, it makes no mention of adultery
as a crime. He added that even though it is illegal now, he
doubted whether people are being arrested for it.
Unmarried couples may have other hassles besides
adultery laws, such as renting a house or apartment or
filing income tax.
Craig Johnson and Katie Hilgenkamp say they think of
splitting up once a year-when they are filing out income
tax.
Johnson said he and his accountant have tried every
way possible to claim Hilgenkamp as a dependent but has
never succeeded.
Separate returns
According to the Internal Revenue Service, two per
sons living together without being married cannot file a
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joint return or claim each other asa spouse or a depen
dent, if they are living together in violation of local law.
Both Hilgenkamp and Johnson are 23 and have been
living together for four years. Hilgenkamp works for the
Lancaster Office of Mental Retardation and plans to
return to graduate school in January. Johnson is a self
employed carpenter.
Both say they have no marriage plans.
Hilgenkamp said she has nothing against the marriage
institution but thinks "it is not necessary to make it their
relationship legal to make it any more meaningful."
Getting married would be "giving in" to social pres
sures, according to Hilgenkamp. She added that she
couldn't understand how they were different from most
married couples.
Johnson, who is buying the home they live in now, said
he pays the rent since he makes more money than Hilgen
kamp. She in return does the housework for having her
share of the rent paid.
However, their relationship was not always that way,
he said.
Mine is hers
Now, Johnson says "what's mine is hers " however,
there was a time "when she was paying half the rent and I
was asking it of her."
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The relationship has grown from "convenience to
something deeper," Hilgenkamp said, recalling divided
utility and grocery bills.
Hilgenkamp moved in with Johnson when she was 19
and an undergraduate at Nebraska Wesley an University.
She said she wanted to live off campus and to do that you
either had to be married or living with relatives. So she
moved in with Johnson and said she was married.
Their relationship now is "more permanent, more
committed," Hilgenkamp said. She added that now they
are planning for things 10 years in advance.l
Both agreed that they could see themselves as 50-year-olds
living happily together.
Nevertheless if they should split up, Hilgenkamp said
she would Hnow what was hers and take it with her.
Legal freedom
Johnson said he thinks a certain amount of freedom of
living together such as freedom from legal, ties helped the
two stay together. -
The couple isn't agreed on how having a, child would
change their relationship. Although Johnson said he knew
unmarried couples who had had children together, he
would want to get married simply to "give the child a last
name.
continued on p. 11
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