What's the point in getting married?

[thatmustbenigelwiththebrie]

If we have no children, both earn a similar amount, own a house 50/50 and have wills - is there any point?

As long as the pensions are sorted within the will, I can’t see any benefit to it at all.

We got married because our DC didn't have the British nationality despite being born here, marriage solved that. Seven months later DH has a near fatal accident and ended up on ICU, sedated, for a week and prior to that had life saving surgery. Because we were married I was his next of kin, if not it would have been his parents which would made it all so much more stressful.

You'll need a lasting power of attorney so that when one of you becomes incapable of looking after your own affairs, the other one can take over that role.

At present, if one of you were in a coma or similar, the legal rights belong to the legal next of kin, which isn't your partner if you're not married.

Also, re pensions, life insurance, etc, are the survivor rights equivalent for a partner as for a spouse? Have you named your partner as the beneficiary?

Is there a possibility of pregnancy?

Do you have power of attorney sorted for NOK issues?

If (N) and (Y), I'd say you're sorted.

There was another thread like this recently.

It's worth looking at the legal protection and responsibilities that come with marriage e.g. pensions, next of kin in law for inheritance purposes, inheritance tax, power of attorney if needed.

As you are unmarried, when one of you dies, the other will have to pay inheritance tax on anything above £325k. This will include the house which the surviving partner may then need to sell to pay the tax. You need to be married or in a civil partnership to avoid this.

1.marriage is a legal contract that offers loads of protection, check itt out and make sure you have everything covered in other ways,
2.Marriage is a declaration of the deepest committment to each other which is very meaningful.

1. It is the stablest foundation for children ( shhoot me if you like but its true)

Some people who call it an uneccessary piece od paper would like to keep the door a chink open. Marriage does not need a hurrah of a wedding , it can be intimate, quiet and loving.

You're now t next of kin.If either the f you dies the other is not entitled to the other 59%of the house.Health and finance is an issue if one of you becomes ill.
If you sort these out and neither of you are financially dependant on the other then no you don't need to marry.

I don't believe marriage is for everyone. There are definitely other ways of wrapping up all the legal issues like power of attorney, as PPs have said. If you both feel more comfortable this way, there is nothing whatsoever wrong with that and more power to your elbow! There is no need for a modern couple to have a wedding if they don't want to.

However, I am really glad I did get married. I didn't go in for a big wedding (actually, because of shitty family issues, my wedding was crap) but the marriage ceremony itself was a really special moment. I think partly because we had so little fuss with the wedding, the promise itself took on a kind of transcendental, metaphysical significance, like the whole world just stopped for a few seconds. I didn't really expect it to be quite so mindblowing, and it was even a bit terrifying when it happened. (I honestly thought I might just start crying). I'm personally really glad I did it, and I do feel like something very subtle did change in that moment, and that we are stronger as a unit as a result. I honestly didn't expect that to be the case, so it came as a surprise.

I may be flamed off the entire internet for this, but I'm getting married because I love him and can't wait to call him my husband.

Off I go...

I have named DP as beneficiary on my pension and he me.

I guess there is a chance of pregnancy but we don't want children so I am not sure we'd necessarily proceed with it if that were to happen. I suppose if we did become parents we'd consider marriage if it made a difference.

I owned a house with a former DP who was killed in an accident. We were unmarried and I did not pay any inheritance tax. His life insurance paid off the mortgage and the house passed to me.

Isn't the house sorted out through the deeds, the terms of the mortgage and life insurance?

Inheritance tax could still be a problem, as could decisions regarding medical care if you should lose the mental capacity to make your own decisions. Marriage solves the Inheritance tax side in most cases.

It would be a good idea to consider doing Lasting Power of Attorney for financial affairs and health and welfare. Then I think you would very likely have most angles covered, especially if you also set up mirror wills.

I may be flamed off the entire internet for this, but I'm getting married because I love him and can't wait to call him my husband
Why would you be flamed for wanting to marry for love.
Most people marry because they love someone. Your view isn't unusual (other than not being able to wait to call him your husband).
But you can love someone and remain unmarried. Marriage should be an informed decision about a legal contract and all it entails. Yes you marry for love, but it is by far more than some I love yous and a nice party.

Oh I totally agree PP. This is my second time around and I never ever thought I'd get married again. This time I'm not doing it for the big frock and the party (oh I did before!)

When we had children and I started looking in legal protection, next of kin etc the easiest and cheapest solution was to get married. So we did. We didn't have a wedding, didn't want one. Just £50 at the registry office and done. Ground my teeth at them wanting to know who my father was for the marriage certificate but not my mother - clearly as a woman she is of no consequence - but apart from that was all ok.

Maybe it is cheaper just to get married then. I don't want a wedding, I'd just want to sign the thing. Can you just do that or do you have to do all the vows etc?

There's a certain amount of legal wording that you have to have in a legal civil ceremony. You don't have to have gushing vows though.

Just go to the registry office and the registrar will do it with just a couple of witnesses, I do believe. It can be as simple as that and is pretty short.

You don't have to have the fancy church wedding in a huge white gown with a massive party afterwards at all. Just go to the registry office and that can be that. Go home afterwards if that is what you want. Or to the pub.

So you are joint tenants on your mortgage ?

You can find out at your local town hall the prices of the ceremony at the registry office, our 1 had 3 different prices depending on what we wanted

I married for love and because I found somebody that I wanted to be united and I'd never had that feeling before

If you are not married who is your next of kin if you have no immediate family? My partners sons live abroad does that make me his next of kin? Would his ex wife have more say over him if he died for instance?
Hes done a will and trust naming me in it. Is that as good as marriage?

I have just looked up next of kin and it is not a legal definition for anyone over 18. So you pick who you next of kin is when needed. if you were unconscious in hospital, I guess they'd do whatever they normally do and try and figure out who you were and contact whoever they could track down.

"If the patient is unconscious or otherwise unable to state their next-of-kin, hospitals will usually list their nearest blood relative"

Snooper

I would get your own legal advice on such matters if you have not already done this.