Spouses are equal. In marriage, they must show mutual trust and work together for the family’s best.

Each spouse has the right to decide whether they want to work or participate in social or other activities outside the family.

Read about parents’ obligations towards their children here Bringing up children in Finland.

Maintenance liability of the spouses

Each spouse must, according to their abilities, take part in the family’s shared finances and the subsistence of the spouses. If one of the spouses does not work outside the home, the wealthier spouse must cover, for example, food and clothes.

Children in a marriage

When a married woman has a baby, her husband is automatically named as that child’s father in the population register. Both parents will be registered as the child’s guardians.

A married couple can adopt a child together. Adoption is enacted in the Adoption Act. If you are interested in adoption, ask the social services of your municipality for more information.

Property

The property which a spouse has when he or she marries, or which he or she acquires during the marriage, belongs to him or her. Spouses can also procure property for their joint ownership. A married couple has a marital right to each other’s property. If the marriage ends in divorce, the property of both spouses is calculated together and divided equally between the spouses. If the marriage ends in the death of either spouse, the property of both spouses is calculated together and divided equally between the heirs of the deceased spouse and the surviving spouse. The marital right cannot be overturned by a will. If the spouses have entered into a marital contract, their property will, in the event of divorce or the death of either spouse, be divided according to their marital contract.

Getting married in Finland, a check list (infofinland.fi)

Marriage in Finland (infofinland.fi)

Debt

Each spouse is responsible alone for the debt they have acquired before or during the marriage. If one of the spouses has incurred debt for the livelihood of the family, for example, for buying groceries, then both spouses are responsible for this debt. If they wish, spouses can take out debt together, in which case they are also jointly responsible for paying it back.

Shared accommodation

One spouse cannot sell the family’s shared dwelling or the movables belonging to it, such as furniture, without the other one’s permission.

Problems in marriage?

If you have problems in your relationship, you can seek help from, for example, the social services in Hämeenlinna City.

You can get help and advice if your spouse behaves violently or threatens you. More information is available here Violence.

Sometimes marriages end in a divorce. More information on divorce: Divorce (infofinland.fi)

Source: InfoFinland