Unmarried homeowner couples may face a huge tax bill if tragedy strikes

UNMARRIED couples who have purchased a house together have been warned that they could be hit with a tax bill of as much as €30,000 if one of them passes away.

Four out of five first-time buyers over the last few years have been unmarried couples, say experts.

They said co-habiting couples need to share the payment of each other’s protection premiums or face major tax bills in event of premature death.