Gen Z and Millennials Use Domestic Partnerships for Health Insurance

By Amara Osei

The average U.S. wedding cost $34,000 in 2025, according to The Knot, while domestic partnerships rarely cost more than $50, Fast Company reported. The Knot put average cost per guest at $292, up from $214 in 2019; Fast Company described domestic partnerships as a lower-cost way to show commitment without marrying.

Why are freelancers using domestic partnerships?

Madelyn Roman, 31, a New York City freelancer and healthcare professional, told Fast Company that healthcare, rather than finding work, was the biggest barrier to going freelance. Her insurance had been tied to her employer until she learned she could use her fiancé’s employee plan through a domestic partnership, without moving the wedding forward.

Fast Company noted that domestic partnerships were once a common route for same-sex couples to secure basic rights previously denied to them and long associated with traditional marriage, including shared healthcare and inheritance. Couples of all sexual orientations now use them as a precursor or alternative to marriage, and U.S. partnerships can provide access to a partner’s employee healthcare, hospital visitation rights and veteran benefits.

Fast Company said domestic partnerships appeared especially popular with younger generations. FlexJobs counts 72 million independent workers in the U.S. and expects that number to reach 86.5 million next year.

“As a healthcare professional myself, I’ve always taken advantage of my insurance plan,” Roman said.

“I need it for both my physical and mental health care services, which I rely on. Life is too unpredictable to go without coverage. Now I have so much freedom to do what I want to do and to work how I want to work.”

Ohio-based Brooke had already moved into freelancing while covered by her parents’ insurance. As she neared the age limit for that coverage, she and her partner were not ready to marry, and her multiple high-risk health conditions made a coverage gap unacceptable.

“We both acknowledged my desperate need for healthcare and are in a committed, loving relationship, so a domestic partnership felt like the best option for us,” Brooke said.

Gabrielle, 31, also lives in New York City and has been with her partner for years without rushing to marry. A coworker suggested domestic partnership; soon afterward, Gabrielle received an offer of freelance work in advertising.

“This job opportunity came up and the timing kind of aligned perfectly with taking this next step in our relationship,” Gabrielle said. “I would’ve done it job offer or no job offer, but it felt like a little nod from the universe that I was on the right path.”

The New York Times reported that the Manhattan City Clerk’s Office registered 3,686 millennials and 460 Gen Zers in 2019, among 6,004 registrations overall. Five years later, the totals reached 4,106 millennials, 1,774 Gen Zers and 6,910 registrations. A 2024 Upwork study found that 53% of Gen Z work as full-time freelancers.

Who qualifies for a domestic partnership?

Fast Company reported no nationwide law governing domestic partnerships; state and local officials determine availability and rights. Typical rules require both people to be 18 or older, live together, and not be related in a way that would bar marriage; usually, neither can already be married or in another domestic partnership.

On November 3, the Los Angeles Times reported that West Hollywood, California, approved domestic partnerships for polyamorous couples. Domestic partnerships are also available in California, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, New York, Ohio and Oregon.

How do couples obtain one?

Rules vary by jurisdiction, but Fast Company said applicants typically answer personal questions online and schedule an appointment at their local courthouse. Questions might include “Where were you born?” and “Where do you live?”; state or city websites should explain local availability and steps.

“We filled out an application online, then just brought our identification to the courthouse and they gave us a certificate of domestic partnership. You could literally get one in five minutes,” Gabrielle said.

“When our number was called, we simply walked up to the window, provided our proof and confirmation number, and paid the small fee. Simple as that. We were then handed an official paper that proves we are domestic partners,” Roman said.

Domestic-partnership registration often happens in the same area as courthouse marriages. Roman recalled some couples arriving in sweatpants, while others dressed up with a photographer in tow.

“Slightly crumpled paper hearts lined the walls, but it was charming,” she said.

What does the arrangement change?

Roman and Gabrielle each registered on their partner’s employee health insurance and then pursued freelancing. The approach depends on the partner’s plan accepting non-spouse domestic partners, so employer eligibility must be checked before applying.

Fast Company also noted that domestic partnerships do not provide the same federal benefits as marriage and do not allow couples to file joint taxes.

Fast Company reported that all three women emphasized their gratitude for the arrangement.

“It allows me freedom to make income without having to tie it to healthcare,” Roman said. “The job change has been both liberating and great for my mental health. I’m lucky to have such a supportive partner, and to live in a city that provides this option.”

Brooke said she was grateful for the option because it gave her access to her medication. Gabrielle offered a blunt test for other couples.

“If one partner has a stable, full-time job and the other wants to take a risk, go for it.”

For freelancers considering the route, employer eligibility and local recognition—not the certificate alone—will determine whether the arrangement can support independent work without a coverage gap.