A living situation in which an unmarried couple lives together in a long-term relationship that is similar to marriage. Couples cohabit rather than marry for a number of reasons. They may wish to put their compatibility to the test before committing to a legal union. They may want to remain alone for economical reasons. Or they may not feel ready to take on the responsibilities and costs of marriage. Couples can be considered live-ins if they share expenses regularly or if one person pays the other for living with them. If these conditions are met, then government agencies that deal with discrimination will consider the pair to be a single entity for employment purposes. Agencies may also view them as a single unit if one person is given special treatment by employers or if one person performs housework or child care that would not normally be expected of just a roommate. Live-ins must comply with health insurance laws, have access to life insurance policies, file federal income tax returns as married individuals, and pay social security taxes on wages earned from both partners. Also, couples cannot be divorced from each other while living under the same roof. The term "live-in relationship" is used broadly to describe any relationship where two people live together and share expenses, but it does not include married couples. The phrase "live-in partner" is preferred to describe relationships between consenting adults who are not married.