My fiancé has debts, am I responsible for them after we get married?

“Family By Law” is a section of Caiado Guerreiro, developed by Stéfanie Luz, lawyer and team leader of the Family and Succession department, where doubts and questions about this area of law are clarified.
News 17/03/2025

In principle debts incurred before marriage are the sole responsibility of the person who contracted them.

There are, however, exceptions that result in the debt being transmittable to the couple:
– The marriage was celebrated under the general community of property regime;
– The debts were incurred by both partners, or by one of them with the consent of the other;
– The debts were contracted by one of the fiancés, with the consent of the other, with the purpose of carrying out the marriage;
– The debts were incurred to meet the normal costs of family life (including food, medical expenses and clothing).

The content of this information does not constitute any specific legal advice; the latter can only be given when faced with a specific case. Please contact us for any further clarification or information deemed necessary in what concerns the application of the law.

Practice Areas

  • Family and Inheritance

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