As marriage is in decline and the number of over-70s cohabiting without getting married or entering a civil partnership is booming, large numbers of couples risk having to pay large inheritance tax bills should one pass away, according to national IFA firm Continuum.
The number of couples choosing to cohabit has increased massively over the past two decades, Continuum said. According to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), in 2002 there were 45,066 over 70s in England and Wales cohabiting in this way. By 2020 this had increased 288% to 175,028. The figures also showed that the number of people of all ages living in a couple but never married or civil partnered has almost doubled from 2.84 million in 2002 to 5.08 million in 2022. Continuum said marriage remains popular, but it is not the only lifestyle choice: "Cohabi...
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