Non-married couples are not treated equally when it comes to tax

A recent survey by Royal London insurance company found that almost four out of five people believe that tax treatment of cohabiting families is unfair, writes Grainne McGuinness.

Daragh Feely, broker sales manager, commented, “As cohabiting couples are, by far, the fastest- growing type of new family unit in Ireland perhaps it’s time that they’re considered within the current tax regime.”

Recently, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said that the tax treatment of “different categories of couples, arise from the objective of respecting the Constitutional requirements to protect the institution of marriage”, and added that “any change in the tax treatment of cohabiting couples can only be addressed in the broader context of future social and legal policy development in”.