'Should married couples get a tax break?' poll discussion

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Comments

  • Gordon_the_Moron
    Gordon_the_Moron Posts: 1,472 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    I voted B
    If A said marriage or civil partnerships I would have voted A.
    If you don't like what I say slap me around with a large trout and PM me to tell me why.

    If you do like it please hit the thanks button.
  • adwat
    adwat Posts: 255 Forumite
    Mortgage-free Glee!
    robin_banks wrote: »
    Not married, been with my partner for 6 years, have 2 kids. Why should a married couple get a 'tax break' over us simply because we're not married.

    Simply because marriages and divorces are kept track of so it is possible to give the tax break and remove it.

    Your relationship is not formally logged by any authority so it is impossible to reward it, otherwise anyone could claim a tax break just by requesting it.
    MFi3T2 #98 - Mortgage Free 15/12/2011
  • ThinkingOfLinking
    ThinkingOfLinking Posts: 11,828 Forumite
    First Post Combo Breaker First Anniversary
    I voted for C. Not everyone wants to get married; some people are in lifelong relationships without wanting to marry; why should they be penalised?

    I also agree with the poster who says that this government have discriminated against married couples anyway, such as with benefits where the amount one person can get is related to their partner's income.

    And Martin, thanks for sharing. Can't have been so easy.
  • griffo74
    griffo74 Posts: 2 Newbie
    why should you pay less tax when your bringing in 2 incomes? makes no sense to me. I think its a very old fashioned idea and in a way a penalty for being single!
  • R0bTam
    R0bTam Posts: 1 Newbie
    Why is it that people in relationships think that they should be rewarded financially? We all pay our taxes; why should some of mine be given to married / civil partnered people?
  • sar011279
    sar011279 Posts: 35 Forumite
    adwat wrote: »
    Simply because marriages and divorces are kept track of so it is possible to give the tax break and remove it.

    Your relationship is not formally logged by any authority so it is impossible to reward it, otherwise anyone could claim a tax break just by requesting it.


    Council tax maybe? - HMRC have records of your address that can be matched, Tax Credits poss, mortgage/rent docs, joint bank accounts, census info - basically i'm sure they could tell if they wanted to.
  • Mum_of_3_3
    Mum_of_3_3 Posts: 658 Forumite
    Dave101t wrote: »
    marriage is the bedrock of a well functioning society, directly contributing to the economy (one at home, one working or both working), pension pots( employment deductions), family values (proper unit, plus discipline) etc etc and should be rewarded by a 50% tax reduction.
    in short, marriage breakdown is one of the main causes of crap societies because of the knock on effects which are becoming apparent and moreso in the next 20 years. ho hum.

    Marriage breakdown isn't one of the main causes of a crap society imho, I think it's lack of some parent's discipline, love and time they have for their children that cause most of the problems, together with some parent's lack of asperation for their children. After all married parents can be rubbish too!

    My partner & I have been together for 15 years, have kids and a mortgage which I think is a far bigger commitment than a piece of paper saying we're married.

    We provide a happy, loving stable home for our children so what difference would a marriage certificate give us (apart from 12 months of stressful wedding planning & a huge bill at the end ;) ).

    I don't believe that MIRAS or any other marriage tax relief should be brought back as I don't believe that being married makes a relationship unbreakable, automatically makes you a upstanding member of society or gives you magic parenting powers.

    M_o_3
  • anilah
    anilah Posts: 5 Forumite
    I would humbly suggest
    1. Married couple should get a tax break
    2. Cohabitation is difficult if not impossible to prove. Giving tax breaks for cohabitation will encourage some (many!) to claim dishonestly. Marriage on the other hand is a legal status and easy to prove.
    3. The most important issue is to urge the current government to stop encouraging single parenthood! (Today's news item: 14 year olds will be taught how to be good parents!!)
  • Sequeena
    Sequeena Posts: 4,728 Forumite
    Why shouldn't stable couples get a break?

    Or even single working parents?

    I'm new to this, please forgive me for sounding a bit daft :o
    Wife and mother :j
    Grocery budget
    April week 1 - £42.78 | week 2 - £53.05
    24lbs in 12 weeks 15/24
  • qetu1357
    qetu1357 Posts: 1,013 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Research after research shows that children who are born and brought up in married relationships are less likely to be unemployed, involved in crime, taking drugs etc. than children who are not.

    Also research shows that people who marry with children stay together longer than average on those who don't.

    Also married men are less likely to commit suicide than non-married men.

    So it isn't meant to be a criticism of those who choose not to marry but society and goverment should encourage parents to be married for the benefit of the children, the parents and society.
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