Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the most common questions we get about Joynup and using our platform.
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Joynup is a platform transforming the way that couples build modern romantic relationships, make decisions, create relationship agreements and resolve conflicts.
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Joynup makes conversations about life decisions easier by guiding couples through engaging quizzes. After completing the quizzes, couples can e-sign personalized relationship agreements reflecting their choices so they can live together on their own terms, and if needed, break up without a battle. The agreements can be changed any time, as often as needed, as life decisions change.
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Absolutely! At Joynup, we love engagements, weddings and other romantic traditions. As couples rethink old conventions, new ways to celebrate are gaining popularity in today's weddings. Commitment ceremonies are trending up. Joynup vows can even be included in your ceremony. Whether you choose a wedding, commitment ceremony or throwing a great party, celebrating your relationship with friends and family can be a romantic chapter in your love story and an opportunity to create your own traditions.
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Yes, you can use Joynup! Joynup supports your relationship. Your prenup applies if you divorce, unless a court nullifies it.
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Your romantic partner is one of your most important business partners. It is vital to talk about money issues and everything else that goes into your relationship. Joynup helps make these conversations easier.
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Some of the questions can be skipped for later. If you would like help discussing a question, our Talk-It-Out coaches can help you find a solution. But if you and your partner can't get through the quizzes it could be a serious red flag. It may be hard to build a life with someone when you can't talk about important issues.
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Definitely! We are LGBTQIA2S+ allies. At Joynup, we LOVE all love and want to support all partners.
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Yes, you can invite a new partner to join you on Joynup. We'll save your agreements with your former partner in case you have continued ties to manage when you become friends, such as children or jointly held property. You can continue to use the platform throughout life's changes.
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Joynup agreements summarize the decisions you make in the quizzes in an easy to read format that can be e-signed on the platform. Your agreements serve as a reference for your decisions. They change when you update your answers to quizzes over time, so they are never out of date.
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All your Joynup agreements are flexible. You can change them at any time by changing your quiz answers.
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No, there are no extra fees to change your agreements. Unlimited changes are included in your subscription.
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"Enforceable" is a legal term that means you can force the other party to follow a contract. If the other party doesn't want to, you may need to sue them and take them to court. Joynup agreements aren't prenups or postnups and can't be litigated in court. If either partner sues for divorce, then the agreements automatically terminate. But if something in your Joynup agreements isn't working for you, you can change it any time. Joynup helps you discuss it and find a way to compromise.
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"Legally binding" is a legal term that means you can use the law to make another party follow a contract. If the other party doesn't want to, you will need to sue them. You can't force your partner to follow a Joynup agreement. If your agreements don't reflect your current wishes, you can change them.
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Like wedding vows, Joynup agreements are voluntary contracts containing promises between partners. Joynup agreements hold you to promises between you and your partner. E-signing them binds your commitment to each other.
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Yes you read that right. "Sue for divorce." If you file a marriage license and then want a divorce, you have to sue your partner in a lawsuit. You probably will spend a lot of money hiring lawyers and a lot of time fighting in court. Courts provide a valuable service, and sometimes lawsuits are necessary. But we don't like the idea that breaking up requires you to sue your life partner. And since we don't like our users to fight, we don't want our agreements litigated in court. We believe there is a better way to break up battle-free.
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The platform is built to help couples to maintain continuing conversations about their relationship and change their mutual agreements as life changes. While as Internet users, we are used to downloading and printing agreements so we can send them to our lawyers or bring them to court, our goal is to keep you out of court. Our platform stores your answers so you can refer to them as needed and change them as frequently as life changes.
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Currently Joynup only supports partners in romantic relationships. Please stay tuned as we introduce new quizzes to support different relationships in the future!
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Our subscriptions enable you to return to the platform any time you want to ChangeUp your answers. We recommend visiting the site frequently to update anything that is out of date. And each year on your Joynup anniversary, plan a romantic evening, update quiz answers, e-sign your revised agreements and renew your vows to each other. That way your agreements will always reflect your current decisions and keep pace with the changes you experience in life and in your relationship.
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Joynup offers monthly and annual subscriptions. Annual subscriptions run from the end of the last month paid for, until the first anniversary of that start date. All subscriptions are based on actual days of a 365-day year and not the calendar month or year end.
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Downgrade your account to a monthly subscription before the last day of your current subscription, and it will renew on the new terms.
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You can cancel at any time and the subscription will end on the last day of the current subscription. Go to your Profile and click on "Manage Subscription." We'll send you an email to confirm your subscription has ended. If you need any help, please email us at support@joynup.com.
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If you cancel and then start a new subscription at a later date, you will be able to access your previous quiz answers, records and agreements when you return to Joynup. Your profile and data will be unlocked when you re-subscribe.
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You can permanently delete your data by emailing us at email us at support@joynup.com. Deleting your data does not cancel your subscription. To cancel your subscription, follow the instructions at “How do I cancel my subscription or trial.”
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Our free trial allows you to try some quiz questions with your partner without charge. You will be automatically billed for the monthly subscription when your trial ends. To start your subscription before the free trial ends, go to your Profile and select "Manage Subscription" at any time.
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We request your credit card at the beginning of the trial and will charge your subscription to the card when your free trial ends.
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You can cancel your free trial at any time. Sign into your account, go to your profile and click on the "Manage Subscription" button to cancel. We'll send you an email to confirm your subscription has ended.
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Each user is limited to one free trial.
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We aren't sure, which is why we created Joynup. For other licenses, you need training and testing to get your license. Imagine a pilot flying a plane without that? Not safe. What training and testing are required for a marriage license? Nothing. No information. No education. Just a filing fee of around $35 to $150.
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Joynup is similar in some ways. But some jurisdictions require domestic partners to get a license, and if you want to terminate the domestic partnership you may have to go through a process similar to divorce. Laws you may not like could control your relationship and breakup.
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Couples with a marriage license are considered to be family by law, which can be relevant in estate planning, insurance, applications for citizenship and other legal matters. This comes with a lot of strings attached - some you may not even know about until you divorce. There are ways to achieve most of these goals without risking the downsides of divorce.
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The marriage tax penalty often forces couples who file a marriage license to pay more taxes. Their combined income generally pushes them into a higher tax bracket.
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Prenups cover what happens if you divorce. Joynup helps couples build a stronger, healthier relationship and break up without a battle.
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Joynup agreements are very different from prenups! They are tailored to your choices. They go into effect right when you sign them. And you know exactly what you are agreeing to because they're based on your quiz answers. On the other hand, prenups go into effect if you file a marriage license. They cover what happens if you divorce. They don't support your relationship while you are together. They are expensive to create and change. Plus a divorce court can invalidate your prenup and substitute its own decisions.
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Yes. We hear you. A lot of people don't want to ruin the romance or run up a huge bill negotiating a prenup. But did you know that when you file a marriage license, that generates a silent prenup with legal terms? You may not like that agreement. That's why Joynup is great for couples who are committed to each other, and may even want a wedding, but don't like prenups. On Joynup, you can plan your life together, not your divorce, and Joynup will reflect your choices - your way of life.
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Prenups can describe how you want to divide up your property on divorce. But courts have a lot of power over the property of married couples. If they find issues with a prenup, or decide it is not fair, they don't have to follow it. For example, in many states, courts can require you to transfer your separate property to your spouse. This power is called “equitable distribution or "special equity."
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Prenups are intended to work. But there is no guarantee. Divorce courts can throw them out and make their own decisions. If one spouse is unhappy they can claim they signed the prenup under duress, that it is unconscionable, that it violates the law or that their spouse didn't disclose all their assets. Then you may face a lengthy and expensive court battle.
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No one can promise that. Prenups can be challenged in court and courts have the power to throw them out. If you divorce, and your partner doesn't like the prenup, you can spend months or even years - and thousands of dollars - fighting over it.
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Joynup has simple breakup process which helps couples transition to friends, compared to the months or years it can take to divorce. Ending a relationship can be stressful and emotional. Our solution is straightforward and there is no additional cost. Joynup agreements will continue to support your relationship as it evolves into friendship.
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On Joynup, you can initiate a breakup process when you want, the way you want. If your breakup is amicable it goes quickly, and if it is strained, our coaches can help.
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Relationships and breakups can be stressful. Rather than help you gear up for battle, we help couples make decisions about a future apart, even while they are together. Talk-It-Out can also help. This service is modeled on mediation and helps couples transition from romantic partners to friends, business partners and co-parents.
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Divorce drama is expensive and draining. Joynup wants to help you preserve your friendship, assets, career and sanity so you don't lose everything you have worked hard to create in your life. Joynup helps couples compromise. You break up when you want, the way you want.
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A divorce can take months or go on for years. One partner sues the other. The goal is often winning the lawsuit, sometimes without thinking about the cost or damage to their partners or children. For couples with children, the battle can continue until kids are 18 years old.
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It can be quicker than a court battle. But here are the steps to help you decide if it sounds quick: first you file and serve your spouse with a summons and complaint just like any other lawsuit, then you have to fill out a bunch of forms disclosing your assets, debts and other private information, and your partner does the same. You and your partner may need to file a parenting plan and come up with a separation agreement. You may need to file findings of fact or conclusions of law, and other legal documents may be required, which means spending time and money to prepare them. Finally you may get a judgement of divorce if your partner stays the whole course without a fight.
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When you file for divorce you are suing your spouse. That is like suing your former best friend and most important business partner. We can help you break up battle free.
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This is the form you file to start your divorce. The California form starts, "You have been sued. ... You have 30 calendar days after this Summons and Petition are served on your to file a Response at the court and have a copy served on the petitioner. A letter, phone call, or court appearance will not protect you. If you do not file your Response on time, the court may make orders affecting your marriage or domestic partnership, your property, and custody of your children. You may be ordered to pay support and attorneys fees and costs. For legal advice, contact a lawyer immediately." When the summons is filed, it freezes your assets so you can't do anything except pay for the basic necessities of life and pay your lawyer.
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It depends on your marital status. If you didn't file a marriage license, you don't need to file for divorce.
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Talk-It-Out is a mediation service provided by Joynup to help couples with decisions. You can schedule a session with a Joynup coach by clicking on "Talk-It-Out" in the left menu.
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You can talk about one issue per mediation - a quiz question that's hard to answer, an issue when you can't reach a compromise, or a challenge in a breakup. Our coaches are licensed mediators with years of experience helping couples navigate difficult conversations, tough decisions and breakups. They can suggest ways to compromise and move forward.
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Simply click on "Talk-It-Out" in the left menu on the platform, choose the topic you want to discuss, and we will help you schedule a Zoom session with a coach who can help you discuss it. If you and your partner don't agree on a solution, your coach will recommend a way to resolve your issue.
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Just like coaches inspire their athletes to perform their best on the field, Joynup coaches help you pursue your best relationship. They help you find solutions to disagreements. All of our coaches are trained mediators.
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This service is not included in your subscription. Our coaches are trained mediators with years of experience in dispute resolution. They spend 10 minutes to review your issues and documents, 45 minutes to meet with you and your partner to find a solution, and the last 5 minutes to record the solution on Joynup. Payment is charged to the credit card saved in your profile. The fees are charged 50% to each partner at the time of booking and can be refunded in full up to 72 hours before the session.
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JOYN tokens are a way to track work in the home. They are earned at the equivalent of the wages to hire someone for the work. For example, if a partner fixes a sink and it would cost $125 to hire a plumber for that job, the partner will earn 125 JOYN tokens. If a partner watches young kids, and it would cost $100 to hire a nanny for that job, the partner will earn 100 JOYN tokens. JOYN tokens can be used on the platform for rewards, discounts and other ways.
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The wage rates are calculated using the average hourly wage rates published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for these jobs in the six states with the largest metropolitan areas in the country (CA, NY, IL, TX, AZ and PA).
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When we think about work in the home, we traditionally think of this as free labor. This work saves a couple money but the spouse doing unpaid work doesn't build income, buying power or financial security. This issue isn't gender or role specific. Most people spend a lot of time working in the home.
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Joynup has a leveling system that shows you how much progress you've been making, while keeping you motivated to finish quizzes with rewards during the journey. Completing tasks awards you points - which feed into your progress. Each time you reach a certain amount of points, you reach a new level.
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We are launching with a few initial levels. When we roll out all levels later in 2022, you will be able to level up by meeting milestones on Joynup, including completing quizzes, e-signing agreements, requesting ChangeUps, reaching anniversaries and other parts of the platform.
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Our first rewards are discounts on subscription renewals. Stay tuned as we roll out exciting new rewards on Joynup!
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We protect your data from unauthorized access, use, modification or disclosure using SSL (Secure Socket Layers) for data transfer, and encryption to protect data during storage and access inside of our database. Please read our Privacy Policy to see how we protect the use, collection and disclosure of information stored on the site.
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These conversations are held over Zoom. You can read about the measures they take to protect your privacy at https://explore.zoom.us/en/privacy/.
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