Download free, fully‑editable Relationship Agreement templates in Microsoft Word. Includes co‑habitation, partnership, joint‑venture, shareholder, influencer‑collab and more plus a step‑by‑step guide. You can explore all of our Agreement Templates to find one suitable for your requirements.
Entering into a partnership whether it be personal, professional or financial between two parties often brings along with it the thrill, which sometimes clouds the perception of the possible risks. A Relationship Agreement clearly outlines through writing the various expectations, responsibilities and exit strategy, thus providing a clear roadmap for how assets, earnings, decision-making authority and confidentiality would be managed for both parties. A written agreement is a safe way that cuts down on expensive misunderstandings, shields the property of every party and it makes a record that is not only legal but also available for presenting in a court or arbitration panel if a disagreement occurs. This applies regardless of the scenario, be it an unmarried couple living together, business partners starting a joint venture, shareholders agreeing on their rights or an influencer working with a brand.
What Is a Relationship Agreement?
A Relationship Agreement is a personal, legally binding document that specifies the rights, obligations and expectations of two or more individuals who have entered into a personal, romantic, financial or business partnership.
The core provisions typically include:
Identification of the parties – full legal names and current addresses.
Purpose of the relationship – a brief description of the nature of the partnership (cohabitation, joint‑venture, shareholder collaboration, influencer‑brand partnership, etc.).
Division of assets and liabilities – how existing property, future earnings, debts and expenses will be allocated between the parties.
Governance and decision‑making – voting rights, required approvals for major actions, and any management‑structure provisions (e.g., a management committee for a joint venture).
Financial arrangements – contribution amounts, profit‑share formulas, compensation, and any escrow or buy‑out mechanisms.
Intellectual‑property ownership – who owns existing IP, who owns new creations, and any licensing rights granted to the other party.
Confidentiality and non‑disclosure – protection of trade secrets, personal information or proprietary data.
Termination and exit strategy – notice periods, buy‑out formulas, buy‑sell rights, dissolution procedures, and the treatment of any jointly held property.
Dispute‑resolution – mediation, arbitration or jurisdiction for court actions.
By including the above-mentioned factors, the pact lays down a bright line that reduces uncertainty, guarantees the rights of the parties concerned, and implies a method of settling conflicts out of court and without prolonged legal battles.
Download Free Relationship Agreements
Here are previews and download links for these free templates in MS Word format.
How to Use a Relationship Agreement Sample in Word?
Download the Word file, and then go through each clause to comprehend its function. Fill in each bracketed placeholder—like “[Partner 1 Name]”, “[Effective Date]”, “[Description of Joint Venture]”, “[Profit‑Share Ratio]”, “[Intellectual‑Property Rights]” and “[Governing Law]”—with the accurate information of your agreement.
In the case where the contract deals with the sharing of already existing properties, provide a timetable which contains all the properties (estate, bank accounts, cars, IP, etc.) and indicates the percentage of ownership or the value of contribution. In contracts that concern sharing of future income or profits, specify the method of calculating profits very clearly (for instance, “net profits after deducting operating expenses”) and also mention any limits or minimums, if any, that are to be observed.
Just as relationship agreements frequently overlap with family-law regulations (in case of cohabitation), corporate-law criteria (for joint ventures or shareholder arrangements), and IP laws, the best practice is for every party to have their own lawyer before putting a signature on it. A lawyer can check if the agreement is in line with the relevant state laws, if the non-compete or non-solicitation provisions are fair, and if the ownership language corresponds to the IP rights that are intended.
When the document is reviewed, two copies should be printed, and the signatures of the parties should be witnessed by the notary public or the required witnesses if your jurisdiction requires notarization for contracts regarding property ownership or share-transfer. Place the original document in a safe place and maintain a searchable PDF version for easy access during the entire duration of the relationship.
Popular Types of Relationship Agreements
Below is a narrative‑style deep dive into the most common relationship‑agreement structures, helping you determine which template—or which combination of clauses—best reflects your partnership.
This is a perfect arrangement for couples who are living together but have not tied the knot yet. The contract stipulates the amount of each partner’s contribution towards rent, utilities, and other household expenses, determines who owns what in terms of personal property (furniture, electronics, vehicles), and contains a “return of security deposit” section indicating the manner in which the landlord’s held deposit will be divided in case one partner leaves. Additionally, it covers pet ownership, guest policy, notice of termination (usually 30 days), and a confidentiality clause that secures the financial privacy of each partner.
Business‑Partner Relationship Agreement
Aimed at two or more business people who come together in a general or limited partnership without going through the incorporation process. The agreement lays down the capital contributions, the sharing percentages of profits and losses, the management-voting structure (majority vote, unanimous decisions for critical actions), the non-competition and non-solicitation clauses, and the buy-out formula that may be based either on a third-party valuation or a fixed multiple of the partner’s capital account. Furthermore, it stipulates a dissolution procedure that describes the liquidation of assets and the settling of liabilities if the partnership is dissolved.
Joint‑Venture Relationship Agreement
This is a method utilized when there are at least two different legal entities that come together to share their resources in an effort to complete a single project that is limited in time – for example, a product development, a real-estate development, or a research initiative. The contractual agreement delineates the objective of the venture, the percentage of ownership of each party, the distribution of costs (either proportionately or as agreed upon), and the rights to any patents created during the venture (either joint ownership or exclusive license to one party). Besides that, it also sets the bar for decision making (for instance, actions that need a 75 % vote), a management committee setup, and a clear exit plan that triggers either the sale of the venture’s assets or the distribution of leftover cash when the project is finished once the project is done.
Shareholder / Stockholder Relationship Agreement
Suitable for a closely-held corporation or LLC where the equity is owned by a small group of individuals. The document contains voting rights, dividend distribution formulas, and the right of first refusal on share transfers, along with drag-along and tag-along rights that protect minority shareholders by guaranteeing them the option to sell under the same conditions as the majority seller. Also, there is a buy-sell clause which defines how a shareholder’s stake will be precisely valued and bought in the event of death, disability, retirement, or simply a desire to exit. Furthermore, the issue of business information confidentiality is dealt with and the non-competition provisions that safeguard the company’s goodwill are also mentioned.
Influencer‑Brand Collaboration Agreement
Designed for social media influencers and marketing agencies that work with brands to advertise their products or services. The agreement clarifies the items to be delivered (posts number, videos duration, story highlights), the payment (flat fee, performance-based commission, affiliate-link revenue share), the rights of usage (the brand gets a perpetual, worldwide license to use the content), the exclusivity period (the influencer won’t be able to endorse rival brands for a certain time), and the disclosure requirements in accordance with FTC guidelines. An indemnification clause safeguards the brand against claims that might arise from the influencer’s comments, whereas a termination clause specifies the ways by which either party can dissolve the partnership along with the notice period that has been decided.
Family‑Trust Relationship Agreement
In the case where relatives put together a trust but want to specify the daily interaction between the trustees and the beneficiaries, the template encompasses the responsibilities of the trustees, the rules for the distributions, the rules concerning the conflicts of interest, and a process for removing a trustee who fails to comply with the fiduciary responsibilities.
Parent‑Child Financial Support Agreement
In a situation where the adult child provides financial support to the parent or the other way around, this would be a great help. The contract indicates the level of support, payment intervals, reasons for changing support (for example, income increase or decrease), and situations that would lead to termination (like the parent moving to another place or the child getting married).
Co‑Founder Equity Vesting Agreement
Ideal for startup founders who want to share equity that vests gradually over time. The contract determines a vesting plan (usually four years with a one-year cliff), a claw-back provision for returning unvested shares if a founder leaves early, and a right of first refusal that allows the other founders to buy the shares of the leaving founder before a third party.
Artist‑Gallery Consignment Relationship
The agreement states, among other things, consignment percentage, pricing approval, responsibilities concerning display, insurance requirements, and the return of unsold works after a certain period, when an artist exhibits their works in a gallery for sale.
Real‑Estate Co‑Ownership Agreement
The contract outlines the sharing of ownership between the friends or family members who buy a property, stating the percentages of ownership, the sharing of mortgage payments, the use schedule of the residence, the right of first refusal in the event of a sale of shares, and a procedure for partition or forced sale in case the co-owners cannot come to an agreement regarding the property.
Online‑Platform Service Provider Relationship
In the case of a Software as a Service (SaaS) company that permits a third party to connect through its API, the contract specifies provisions related to data protection, uptime commitments, indemnity for claims made by third parties, and a license which gives the partner the right to incorporate the platform’s APIs into its product.
Cross‑Border International Partnership
The collaboration of parties belonging to different nations always entails an agreement that contains choice-of-law (usually a neutral jurisdiction like New York law), currency-conversion mechanisms, export-control compliance, tax-gross-up provisions, and dispute-resolution whose arbitration is specified to be under the International Chamber of Commerce.
You can create a Relationship Agreement that not only delineates rights, duties, and risks but also adheres to the applicable legal framework and offers a practical guide for both collaboration and termination by either choosing the template that best reflects the partnership’s exact dynamics, or by mixing and matching certain provisions from a number of templates.
