Is marriage better for women in the long run.

[Mumandkids]

Hello.Is marriage still a thing in modern Britain?I have so many friends who have families mortgages are not married (nothing wrong with that personally).I'm a strong a strong advocate for marriage especially in terms of financial protection and transparency.However, my views are always met with hostility and disbelief.A lot of people think that my views are rather old-fashioned and unmarried couples are protected by common law thing.For contract I'm married and have two children.I was a stay at home parent for quire some time and my husbands career and earning potential never came to a holt.However, mine took an absolute nose dive and it feels like I need to start from the beginning! My husband thinks that unmarried couples get the same asset split/treatment in court as married couples!Who is wrong and who is right?!!

If you're a strong advocate for marriage because of financial protection and transparency then surely you know the answer to your own question.

There’s no such thing as common law marriage in the UK, and unmarried couples have no right to each other’s assets.

So you are right, and your husband and friends are wrong. Some of them will likely get bitten.

Your DH is wrong. Married vs unmarried makes a huge difference in asset split.

The rules differ in different countries but if you’re in England and Wales, then you’re right and your husband is wrong and that is why marriage is important, particularly for the person who takes the bigger financial hit to their earning capacity.

Thanks God for English law.

Marriage protects a woman who gives up or compromises her earning during the childbearing / parenting years.

A higher-earning asset-wealthier woman puts herself at risk by marrying.

If you both earn well and don’t plan on giving up work then it shouldn’t really matter. Financial independence should be promoted at school!

Actually amongst my 2 daughters and their friends (in their 20s) it seems to have gone full circle.

Living together is seen as old fashioned and getting married is more "edgy and modern". Every single one of my daughters old school friends are married as opposed to living with someone (not all are partnered up of course).

I think if you're a high-earning, self-sufficient woman with your own assets, the breadwinner in your relationship, and you don't plan on damaging your earning potential by taking a lot of time out to have children or you plan on only having one child, you'd be better off not getting married.

Otherwise, marriage makes financial sense for the woman. Bear in mind however that post divorce you have to live with your lower earning potential - you no longer have access to your ex-husband's salary other than for child maintenance.

Basically, the best advice to women is to never, ever make yourself financially dependent on a man. Earn your own money.

No kids, both working, jointly owned property... Marriage is optional, I think.

But the absolute worst scenario for women is being unmarried, SAHM living in their partner's property & not in the deeds.

I can see how the situation could occur over time, rather than it being a conscious choice, but its SO precarious to have your entire future dependent on someone elses favour. I couldn't

As PP said, marriage or not, maintaining financial independence is crucial.

I am not married, I live with my partner and we have children but I have a lot more assets that him. I did not want to risk loosing that with a failed marriage.

Marriage can be important in relation to IHT. If you are unmarried and inherit a jointly owned property you would be liable for IHT if the deceased assets exceed the threshold.

Two people in my social circle had great difficulty when their long-term partners had heart attacks: in one case, it was fatal; in the other it caused catastrophic brain damage.

Marriage (and a will) definitely provides protection.