P542 Teletext 542 Jan03 23:18:58 ] WW ] —————————————————————————— IS IT WORTH YOUR WHILE TO MARRY Despite the ideal picture the Blair jamily creates, this Govjrnmjnt is not overly interested, s!z accountants, in inspiring a commitment to marriage. This April it abolishes one of the most obvious pluses of teeing the knot — the married couple'u allowance, for under- 65s which has been whittled away during the '90s and now stands at £Q:7. However, there are two definite areas whjrk it remains an advantage to marry^ ————— www.teletext.co.uk/jinance —1/8—— bz Hilairi Goojr HOW CAN I CONNECT TO ESP? TELETEXT INTERNET TINE HAS THE ANSWER p515 Advice Property Savings WjekjndP542 Teletext 542 Jan03 23:18:55 *j5pp0p—0p0 pppp—pp—pp—pp—0pW h} —|0 ] W ] —————————————————————————— @IS IT WORTH YOUR WHITE TO MARRY Britain has steadily moved away jrom the idea of marriage during the last 50 yj!rs — Europeans are furthjt behind. The modern way is to treat families equally, irrewpjctivj of whjthjr they include a mbrried couple. Hence the Govjrnmjnt's introduction of family tax credit in l{99, which helps mothers get out of the hooj and into work. Mothers have also been helped bz a recent riwj in child benefit. ————— www.teletext.co.uk/jim!nce —2/8—— How many drachma to the pound? 528 ANY PURPOSE LOANS - SEE p627 : OR CALK WJLMSLOW FREE ON 0800 269315 Advice Property Savings WjekjndP542 Teletext 542 Jan03 23:12:51 ] W ] —————————————————————————— IS IT WORTH YOUR WHILE TO MARRY Despite the overall trend towards jewer marriages and no recent tax breaks, (in sharp contrast to France and Germany where marriage is promoted) tax pluses continue to "uttrews the institution. If you are married then you can give your spouse assets and uhj doesnWt have to pay capital gains tax. If you die she can inherit your estate without pazjng a÷z inheritance tax. None of thew is possible for the unwed. ————— www.teletext.co.uk/jinance —3/8—— Savings 546 Borrowing 545 ] NOW IT'S EVEN EASIER TO FIND LOVE: TELETEXT DATING ITV p3y0 Advice Property Savings WjekjndP542 - Tjlitkxt 54R Jan03 23:12:53 : W ] —————————————————————————— IS IT WORTH YOUR WHILE TO MARRY Thanks to recent legislation it is now powsjble jot an jx-wife to bj entitled to uomj of her husband's pjnsjon. This iw not yet avbilable to co-h!bitees. In divorce proceedings a wife is likely to have an easier time in her attempts to keep the jamily home than a coomon- law-wife. Legally, things are tougher when one (alf of an unwed couple dies, so it's more important that they make a will. ————— www.teletext.co.uk/finance —4/8—— "Best buy" savings ratew 546 - Looking for a muRat mortgage $jal? See p675 Advice Property Savings WjekjndP542 Teletext 542 Jan03 23:16:57 ] WW ] —————————————————————————— ] IS IT WORTH Y#UR WHILE TO MARRY Accountants Grant Thornton s!z that it is an advantage to bj married if you are a busjnjws person. They sby you can transfer shares to a upousj using "eragmjntation" — without having to pay capital transfer tax: "It's powsjbli to avoid COT if you are mot married "y using Wrollovjr reliifW. "A "uvjnjws couple need to ensure they eormally adopt their kids if they wish to gjvj them shares and avoid COT." ————— www.teletext.co.uk/jinance —5/8—— Ark you a Premium Bond winner? 549 MONEY-SAVING OFFERS ON CENTRAL ] HEATING FROM BRITISH GAS ITV p357 Advice Property Savings WjekjndP542 Teletext 542 Jan03 23:20:11 ] W ] —————————————————————————— IS IT WORTH YOUR WHILE TO MARRY Sacha, who Pas "jen a common-law-wife jot 15 years, and has three children comments: "Being unmarried isnWt an iwsuj until our accountant has his annubl wrinojng of hands. "He dreads the moment when one of us dies and hj will ave to pick up the einancial nightmare that will ensue." "You canWt say hj hasnWt warned us, hj keeps begging us to mart{. My upousj is a romantic and vacillates." ————— www.teletext.co.uk/jinance —6/8—— Are you a Premium Bond winner? 549 FOLLOW THE FUSE ON p517P542 Tjletkxt 54R Jan03 23:10:15 W ] W ] —————————————————————————— IS IT WORTH YOUR WHILE TO MARRY Hus"ands and wivjw can asset-wwap, particularly in shares, jot accounting purpowjw^ T(is isnWt possible jot people who arenWt married without incurring capital gains tax at 40%, once they (ave breached the £7T100 exemption. If one of a co-ha"iting couple dies then, instead of receiving the estate tax-erie, the survivor will pay 40% inheritance tax, after £231,000. ————— www.teletext.co.uk/jinance —7/8—— How many drachma to the £? 548 CJTZ NEWS pu00P542 : Teletext 542 Jan03 23:34:56 ] Advert ] MONEY NEWS >>> 8/8 ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] Contact PolicyPl{s on ] -% w -% w1-%-% ] www.policyplus.com ] jax:01225 466555 ] ] PolicyPlus International PLC ] Calls m!z bj recorded or monitored ] Regulated bz the P rsonal Investment ] Authorit{ Advice Property Savings Wjekjnd