It's complicated: Cohabitees and the risk of foreseeable harm

Financial planning is complicated, but even more so for cohabitees

clock • 4 min read

Cohabitees don't have the same legal rights and obligations as married couples or civil partners, especially when it comes to legal and tax matters. In the third article of this series, Clare Moffat considers some other tax and savings issues that could unknowingly impact the 7.2 million people who live together...

Capital gains tax As a reminder, capital gains tax (CGT) is charged on the profit made when selling or disposing of shares, funds, business assets and personal possessions worth more than £6,000, or on a property that's not the main family home which has increased in value. It's the gain that is taxed and not the total amount of money received. Taxable gains are charged at 18% and 28% for residential property and 10% or 20% for other assets, depending on your income band. If someone has capital gains that exceed their annual exempt amount, then this sits on top of the individual's taxa...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Tax planning

Tony Müdd: The chancellor has fewer choices than you think

Tony Müdd: The chancellor has fewer choices than you think

'Do not sell an asset simply because newspapers have rediscovered CGT'

Tony Müdd
clock 03 September 2026 • 5 min read
Warnings of tight timetable as HMRC sets out pension IHT process

Warnings of tight timetable as HMRC sets out pension IHT process

‘A very short timescale for such a significant change’

Isabel Baxter
clock 01 September 2026 • 4 min read
News editor's view: The IHT effect

News editor's view: The IHT effect

The news editor's Friday Night Takeaway from 28 August

Isabel Baxter
clock 28 August 2026 • 3 min read