The Swedish term Sambo is short for ”sammanboende” (SAMmanBOende) meaning “living together” or cohabitation in English.However, the term has a deeper meaning than that. It is used to describe two unmarried persons living together in a matrimonial manner, as a couple, in a joint household, without being married to each other (live-in partners). There is a term in English called Common Law husband / wife with a similar meaning.Living together as “sambos” (samboförhållande – sambo relationship) is regulated in a law called “sambolagen” – “the law of cohabited living by couples”. The Swedish cohabitation law is officially referred to as; Act 2003:376.On all official application forms there are three boxes for civil status; unmarried, married, and “sambo”. You just fill in the applicable box.Children born to parents in a sambo relationship normally have the same family name as the father unless the parents have agreed to another surname, for example; the mother’s.When a married couple split up there are laws governing the disposition of their home and household goods (division of joint property of husband and wife). The sambo law has similar regulations for “sambo” couples who split up. The home is then divided in a similar manner as if they were married.However, only the home, i.e. the sambo couple’s joint house/condo (including furniture), is counted as joint property in the sambo law. Bank accounts, shares, cars, boats or summer houses are regarded private property. The person how owned these kinds of properties before the couple moved together keep them when the sambo couple splits up.However, the division of the joint property of a sambo couple upon their separation also includes what they bought between themselves to be jointly used (during their cohabitation).However, sambo couples do not inherit each other’s assets as married couples do. Since they do not inherit or become beneficiaries of each other’s property, it is important for sambos to have a joint will (last will and testament). A good example of this importance is Stieg Larsson, the renowned Swedish writer who lived sambo for many years with Eva Gabrielsson. When he died in 2004, his father and brother, not Eva, inherited his wealth worth millions. There were law suits and a settlement, but this could have been avoided with a will.It is common in Sweden today for couples to live together as sambos, i.e. without being married. Most start off as sambos and then marry a few years later, maybe when they have their first child.However, I have a feeling that sambo living was more common in the 1970’s and 80’s than today, and uncommon before the 60’s. Although still common, I believe more people are marrying today.In some places in the US, couples that have been living as a “Common law couple” for a certain number of years are considered legally married after that period. However, the Swedish sambo law does not impose marriage to couples like that. Instead sambos are given legal rights by the sambo law itself, much as if they were married.Being married gives a couple the best legal rights but as described above, sambos also have legal rights, especially when it comes to property.In Denmark, Norway and Sweden, cohabitation is very common; roughly 50% of all children are born into families of unmarried couples, whereas the same figure for several other Western European countries is roughly 10%. Many couples decide to marry later.However, in the UK, about 25% of children are now born to cohabiting parents.In 2001, in the United States 8.2% of couples were calculated to be cohabiting, the majority of them in the West Coast and New England/Northeastern United States areas.Some US states, including the state of California, have laws that recognize cohabiting couples as "domestic partners". In California, such couples are defined as people who "have chosen to share one another's lives in an intimate and committed relationship of mutual caring," including having a "common residence, and are the same sex or persons of opposite sex if one or both of the persons are over the age of 62". This recognition led to the creation of a Domestic Partners Registry, granting them limited legal recognition and some rights similar to those of married couples. Top of page
The Swedish term Sambo is short for ”sammanboende” (SAMmanBOende) meaning “living together” or cohabitation in English.However, the term has a deeper meaning than that. It is used to describe two unmarried persons living together in a matrimonial manner, as a couple, in a joint household, without being married to each other (live-in partners). There is a term in English called Common Law husband / wife with a similar meaning.Living together as “sambos” (samboförhållande – sambo relationship) is regulated in a law called “sambolagen” – “the law of cohabited living by couples”. The Swedish cohabitation law is officially referred to as; Act 2003:376.On all official application forms there are three boxes for civil status; unmarried, married, and “sambo”. You just fill in the applicable box.Children born to parents in a sambo relationshipnormally have the same family name as the father unless the parents have agreed to another surname, for example; the mother’s.When a married couple split up there are laws governing the disposition of their home and household goods (division of joint property of husband and wife). The sambo law has similar regulations for “sambo” couples who split up. The home is then divided in a similar manner as if they were married.However, only the home, i.e. the sambo couple’s joint house/condo (including furniture), is counted as joint property in the sambo law. Bank accounts, shares, cars, boats or summer houses are regarded private property. The person how owned these kinds of properties before the couple moved together keep them when the sambo couple splits up.However, the division of the joint property of a sambo couple upon their separation also includes what they bought between themselves to be jointly used (during their cohabitation).However, sambo couples do not inherit each other’s assets as married couples do. Since they do not inherit or become beneficiaries of each other’s property, it is important for sambos to have a joint will (last will and testament). A good example of this importance is Stieg Larsson, the renowned Swedish writer who lived sambo for many years with Eva Gabrielsson. When he died in 2004, his father and brother, not Eva, inherited his wealth worth millions. There were law suits and a settlement, but this could have been avoided with a will.It is common in Sweden today for couples to live together as sambos, i.e. without being married. Most start off as sambos and then marry a few years later, maybe when they have their first child.However, I have a feeling that sambo living was more common in the 1970’s and 80’s than today, and uncommon before the 60’s. Although still common, I believe more people are marrying today.In some places in the US, couples that have been living as a “Common law couple” for a certain number of years are considered legally married after that period. However, the Swedish sambo law does not impose marriage to couples like that. Instead sambos are given legal rights by the sambo law itself, much as if they were married.Being married gives a couple the best legal rights but as described above, sambos also have legal rights, especially when it comes to property.In Denmark, Norway and Sweden, cohabitation is very common; roughly 50% of all children are born into families of unmarried couples, whereas the same figure for several other Western European countries is roughly 10%. Many couples decide to marry later.However, in the UK, about 25% of children are now born to cohabiting parents.In 2001, in the United States 8.2% of couples were calculated to be cohabiting, the majority of them in the West Coast and New England/Northeastern United States areas.Some US states, including the state of California, have laws that recognize cohabiting couples as "domestic partners". In California, such couples are defined as people who "have chosen to share one another's lives in an intimate and committed relationship of mutual caring," including having a "common residence, and are the same sex or persons of opposite sex if one or both of the persons are over the age of 62". This recognition led to the creation of a Domestic Partners Registry, granting them limited legal recognition and some rights similar to those of married couples. Top of page
