Is it worth being married

Oldernotwiser

pollyanna24 wrote: »

I'm not saying I'm never going to get married

So are you saying that you could perhaps be more committed to someone other than your current partner?

anguk

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

So are you saying that you could perhaps be more committed to someone other than your current partner?

I read it that she may one day marry her partner.

I too don't think you have to be married to show your commitment. I've lived with my partner for 23 years, we've had 2 kids together and have every intention of staying together until one of us dies! We've been through some really hard times financially and medically and I really don't see how we would have lived our lives any differently if we'd been married? Most of my friends have been divorced, but does it mean they were more committed because they were married? And does it mean that their kids have had a more stable upbringing because their parents were once married? I don't think so.

pollyanna24

anguk wrote: »

I read it that she may one day marry her partner.

I too don't think you have to be married to show your commitment. I've lived with my partner for 23 years, we've had 2 kids together and have every intention of staying together until one of us dies! We've been through some really hard times financially and medically and I really don't see how we would have lived our lives any differently if we'd been married? Most of my friends have been divorced, but does it mean they were more committed because they were married? And does it mean that their kids have had a more stable upbringing because their parents were once married? I don't think so.

You read it right

And I agree with everything you wrote above. Maybe I phrased it wrong.

benood

Crutch757 wrote: »

I have been married over 40 years (to the same person) but wonder if there is any financial advantage to declaring myself as being married. Neither my wife or I are eligible for any state benefits and both pay tax. A relative in Australia has just got divorced after more than 50 years but continues to live together and have a much better pension. Does anyone know the situation in UK? Certainly this Government is doing its best to destroy the institution of marriage.

Anyone else think this guy is a TROLL

Willy_Heckaslike

Crutch757 wrote: »

I have been married over 40 years (to the same person) but wonder if there is any financial advantage to declaring myself as being married. Neither my wife or I are eligible for any state benefits and both pay tax. A relative in Australia has just got divorced after more than 50 years but continues to live together and have a much better pension. Does anyone know the situation in UK? Certainly this Government is doing its best to destroy the institution of marriage.

Don't be too hard on Crutch757, He has a very good point. This greedy government taxes us married working people as single then, when we retire, it pays us a measley pension as a couple. Which is a lot less than 2 single people. How is that fair?

I had mentioned that we should get divorced at 65 to my wife as a joke but now we are thinking about this. Why should so much of out taxes be given to people who can't be bothered to work?

This government says it believes in marriage. Ha! I don't think so.:mad:

margaretclare

Hello Willy

Well, I can only say, this is not how it works with us.

We both paid tax on our individual incomes up to last year and we get our retirement incomes as separate people too.

You say 'why should so much of our taxes be given to people who can't be bothered to work?' That hardly applied to us either - both worked from 16 to 67. If we were to go through a divorce - it would be DH's third - it wouldn't make us one penny-piece better off.

Willy_Heckaslike

Hi Margaret
I doubt if we would get divorced as the greedy lawyers would charge more than any savings made and that goes against what this great site is all about.

We may emigrate though, as many thousands of Brits are, but not to an EU country. Will the last one out switch the light out!!!:D

margaretclare

No, Willy, I am not about to leave. Not to an EU country nor anywhere else.

This is my country and I am sticking with it.

I could not actually understand what the OP was on about, and he hasn't come back to enlighten us. A few people posted to the effect that they were living together unmarried and they were happy with that, but that wasn't what the OP was saying. He said he'd been married to one person for 40 years and was thinking about divorce because it might be more advantageous financially.

Given what you've said - lawyers' costs etc, the fact that all assets would have to be split between 2 - I just cannot see how divorce would be financially advantageous.

The only thing I can possibly see is that if the OP's wife is getting 60% of state pension set against his contributions, she would be able to get 100% as a divorced wife against the same contributions. Was that what he was talking about, do you think?

naomi576

Does anyone knw if I should divorce my husband and claim minimum pension or stay married for 5 year when he becomes 65 and claim then. I get told different things when I ring the Pensions Department and don't know where to go for advice.

jm2926

I wonder if OP was referring to the difference between single and married state pension:

https://www.direct.gov.uk says:
In 2008-2009, the full basic State Pension is £90.70 a week for a single person and £145.05 a week for a couple

So I guess two single people sharing a home would still be entitled to £90.70 x 2 = £181.40, a big difference to the £145.05 paid to a couple £1890 a year!!
And also possibly some pension credits etc depending if there is any other income.

I'm not sure what the pension's people class as "single" though - whether it means not married or not co-habitating.

I'd think a divorce for this reason wouldn't have to be expensive if both parties were in agreement to this course of action and agree over financial and property arrangements. Do they not need to just get a form from the post office, fill it in and submit to the courts?

As far as property and joint bank accounts etc - you don't need to be married to have those, so they could just continue as is.

I'd be more concerned about no longer being "next of kin" if one person falls into bad health the other would no longer be the person the authorities would turn to for decisions if required.

Also wonder how the inheritance situation would change? New wills would be needed and some advice from a lawyer.