Much social gerontological research has focused on partner loss in later life and how it affects social, emotional and practical exchanges between generations. In this paper we instead ask how a newintimate relationship in later life affects these inter-­‐generational exchanges. The results are based both  on  qualitative  interviews  with  28  Swedes  (63–91  years)  either  dating  or  living  in  new relationships initiated after the age of 60 (marriage, cohabitation, LAT), and a quantitative survey to 60–90 year old Swedes (n=1225). In the interviews we found that the informants described changes in what we conceptualize as the ‘relationship chain’ –a hierarchy in social and care responsibilities–where the new partner stepped in at the very front of the chain. The follow-­‐up survey confirmed a hierarchy of dependencies, where partners tend to come first, followed by children, friends and the state. The interviews further showed that the informants recurrently described their partners as a resource for their own autonomy as well as that of their children and friends. We interpret these findings in light of an individualist culture of independence that characterizes the Nordic countries, aided by a strong welfare state, involving a strong ethic of not being a burden, even to your own children.