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

mrsmcdade

YES - Purely for the reason that your joint income is taken into consideration when calculating benefits, tax credits, etc.

Spendless

PoorPennilessMe wrote: »

Thanks Robin - Whilst I know that the system allows them to get Child Benefit, I was wondering what the Government's thinking is behind giving it to them. Also, I can confirm that they get CTC. It may be slightly less than 150K pa joint income, but definately 3-figures.

As to your first point, as a person living alone, having a child would mean sacrificing personal freedoms, for which I would end up resenting the child. This would affect my parenting skills and ultimately affect the child. Whilst this does not guarantee how the child will turn out, I have no desire to do that to anyone. But considering I won't be living on benefits to raise a child for several years, how come I am not being rewarded by the system?

CTC stops at around £58K (higher if you have a child under 12 months around £66k). From £50K onwards it reduces from the 'family element' of around £10 per week to nothing as it hits these amounts. If these people are getting CTC on a 3 figure salary then either they are being paid incorrectly, and will be asked for it back at some point or they are self employed and will be able to legitimately report a reduced taxable income.

Spendless

griffo74 wrote: »

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!

That was always my gripe when I was single and living alone. My dad's tax code was better than mine but he lived in a 2 income household whereas I didn't.

Spendless

MSE_Martin wrote: »

Hi - there's an interesting discussion on this on my facebook page too...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Martin-Lewis/73386220151#/note.php?note_id=241650243864&comments

Though I'd repost a suggestion I'd made there...

"One small note from a personal perspective. I lost my mother just before I was 12 - had this system existed, I suspect that meant that on top of the real horror we were in, this system could be adding a further financial impact - not only did we lose my mothers income but as tradgedy had forced my father into becoming a single parent he would've ... See Morelost the tax break for being married too on top of the family losing my mothers income.

Now I don't believe that we should legislate for the exceptions, but I do think it is important we establish that the 'traditional family' model is quite far from the norm in modern society."

I've no idea what the rules were when you were a child Martin, but I know when my SIL became a single parent (thru divorce) in the early 90's she was able to claim what was then the married man's allowance, so you could have the extra amount as a single parent.

Indie_Kid

kerrydrobertson wrote: »

i find it so unfair for the families that work really really hard and get peanuts back from the government.

As do single people.

it infuriates me that some couples apparently earning £66k can still claim tax credits, when a single person on £15k cannot!!! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

But that's only if they have kid(s) under 12 months.

Bobl

Stop all tax breaks, pay tax at whatever rate you have to. Why introduce discounts?

Bobl

lawrenceelwell wrote: »

Absolutly!

Marriage is the best way to rear and support children.

I think you are confusing that with 'a stable relationship is the best way...'

Not all marriages are stable and provide a happy home.

Indie_Kid

Bobl wrote: »

I think you are confusing that with 'a stable relationship is the best way...'

Not all marriages are stable and provide a happy home.

And not everyone in a stable relationship is married.

Bobl

sh1305 wrote: »

And not everyone in a stable relationship is married.

I think that's what I said, or was I too subtle.

Dda_2

I am a senior income tax officer (albeit not the UK tax but one of the crown dependences) & here we two have to give married allowance.

If people marriage it should be for the correct reasons (i.e. love) and not for income tax reasons, there should not be any tax allowances for getting married (it is also the same for separating & death)

Where I am from giving the married (separating or death all are treated the same) allowance costs the 'Tax Payer' ten's of thousands of pounds that the rest of tax payers have to cover.

There are no extra allowances for being single!