Here's the latest in the James Brown estate saga. Earlier this month, Velma Warren Brown, the Godfather of Soul's first wife, claimed she was never divorced from him.

If that were true, all of his subsequent marriages would be nullified. According to the Associated Press and Augusta Chronicle, a 1969 divorce decree was discovered in court records, and she was the one who filed for divorce.

Even more mysterious is the mention in the handwritten 1969 divorce settlement of another child, Lisa Brown, who was five when the couple divorced in 1969. Brown, in his August 1, 2000 will, acknowledges six children, three from the first marriage and three out-of-wedlock children. No mention was made of Lisa.

Another snag in the estate battle is Brown's 2001 marriage to Tomi Rae Hynie and the couple's minor child, James Jr., aged seven. The adult Brown children maintain that this wasn't a legal marriage because Tomi Rae was still married to her first husband. In 2004 she got an annulment but didn't go through a second wedding ceremony with Brown.

The adult Brown children are attempting to upset the will which awarded them only the personal effects of the estate such as furniture, antiques, cars, boats and jewelry. After providing a trust for educating his grandchildren, James gave the bulk of his estate to a trust for the education of needy of South Carolina and Georgia.

The court has a challenging task to sort out the legal standing of those seeking a piece of the pie. I don't believe Velma can succeed in her claim. We know little about Lisa Brown but DNA could establish if she and James Brown Jr. are legal heirs not mentioned in the will.

It's estimated that five million unmarried couples are living together in the US. Over 30 percent of singles ages 18-29 are in this group.

For the first time in history, the majority of American households are headed by unmarried or single adults, according to census reports. In Canada, for most purposes, cohabiting partners of the same or opposite sex are treated as married. It's not the same here.

Without a cohabitation agreement, unmarried romantic partners will be treated as "legal strangers" in the event of breakup or death. They don't get the rights and protections of law that married couples enjoy.

An agreement defining your relationship will protect both parties and prevent palimony suits and ensure a fair distribution of property. Cohabitation agreements should cover the following:

1. Distribution of property in case of death.

2. Financial support during the relationship and after a split.

3. How the debts of the relationship will be paid.

4. Real estate purchases should be in both names with rights of survivorship.

5. Support and visitation of any children born.

6. Proxy for emergency medical decisions for each.

Some practical tips for merging two lives:

1. Keep separate bank and checking accounts. But open a joint account to be used only for household expenses.

2. Decide what percentage each will contribute to living expenses.

3. Create a budget and decide who will manage bill payments.

The contract should state that it "contemplates and compensates" for all services provided by either party. "Sexual services" are not consideration for the agreement. Division of property will be based upon the percentage each contributed to the partnership.