Ask Lemmy

First, I'll disclose I'm not a legal expert, but I just went through most of this recently when getting married and while setting up my revocable trust, so lots of this is still top-of-mind.

Umm, okay. I’ve never been married before, but apparently I’m registered as the person to inherit my roommate’s vehicle should he pass or fall under bad health,

Unless you're registered on the title to the vehicle with your roommate, your roommate's estate will have to go through the probate process before along with cooperation from your roommate's executor you'd receive the car, or possible not at all if the estate had debts. If you were married to your roommate you'd have no problem being put on the title and the car instantly is yours on their passing. No probate. All of this assumes a paid-off car. A car with loan still on it is more complicated.

amongst other things usually associated with family/marriage.

You can be legally compelled to testify against your roommate in legal proceedings. A spouse cannot be.

But I’m not married. But if needed, I could take power of attorney on his behalf. But his niece down the road would probably end up handling all that anyways…

As I understand it, your roommate would need to sign over Power of Attorney prior the need. If they were already incapacitate you'd have no ability to do the things needed for them that would require Power of Attorney. As an example, you would not be able to access their bank accounts to pay their bills while they were incapacitated. With a spouse you'd already have shared expenses and be able to service anything while your mate is not capable.

I dunno, hope he lives a good long life, he just hit 66 years old, been living together for like 7 years now.

I hope so too, but life moves quickly and, many times, without notice of what is to come.