Heterosexuals Marrying To Avoid Tax

Professor Moriarty

The Guardian has an article about two Irish men who have married to avoid tax, specifically inheritance tax. From the article:

Two Irish men have married in Dublin to avoid paying €50,000 inheritance tax on a house.

Best friends Matt Murphy and Michael O’Sullivan are both heterosexual, but decided to get married when they discovered how much tax would have to be paid on the house Murphy, 83, intended to leave in his will to O’Sullivan, 58, who is his carer.

This seems to be a genuinely positive story and I think same sex marriage is a good thing. However, has it left an unforeseen tax loophole? Perhaps we will also see a flood of different gender marriages to avoid tax?

NollagShona

You would be naive to think it hadn't already...

Professor Moriarty

NollagShona wrote: »

You would be naive to think it hadn't already...

Perhaps. Haven't heard about it before though. Getting married also incurs a lot more legal rights and obligations than just avoiding tax.

GingerLily

Men and women have been getting married for reasons other than sex for centuries. Marriage is a massive commitment - aside from the tax loop holes, if you're going to marry a friend I'd make sure it's a good friend because they're the one who can cut off your life support etc

So I wish those two men luck - I suspect they have a very good friendship and aren't as unsuitable for marriage as they're making out.

Professor Moriarty

GingerLily wrote: »

Men and women have been getting married for reasons other than sex for centuries. Marriage is a massive commitment - aside from the tax loop holes, if you're going to marry a friend I'd make sure it's a good friend because they're the one who can cut off your life support etc

So I wish those two men luck - I suspect they have a very good friendship and aren't as unsuitable for marriage as they're making out.

I didn't think the article said they were unsuitable for marriage?

GingerLily

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

I didn't think the article said they were unsuitable for marriage?

I was referring to the couple not the article, I've seen them talk about this a few times.

fepper

They'll probably keep the same living arrangements anyway so don't have to move in together cos they will be married

Mrs OBumble

Opposite gender hetrosexuals have been marrying for tax purposes every since tax breaks for married couples were invented. (I might even get around to doing it myself one of these days!)

The only difference here is that it's same-gender hetros doing it.

Nothing to see.

GingerLily

There is a MASSIVE thread about this already on after hours.

Professor Moriarty

GingerLily wrote: »

There is a MASSIVE thread about this already on after hours.

Didn't know that. Didn't want to put it in there though.

Sleeper12

This is only getting press because they are two men. I've no doubt that there have been many marriages between men and women for the very same reason. It's not illegal. I think some people are confusing this with fake marriage so a foreign national can stay in the country

NollagShona

AH is a cesspool tbf