TWO FRIENDS WENT on RTÉ’s Liveline this afternoon and said they were marrying for tax reasons.
The show heard from 85-year-old Matt who told Joe Duffy that Michael O’Sullivan was his best-friend and that he planned to leave him his house when he died.
Both of them said they weren’t gay but that their planned marriage is for financial reasons.
Matt, who’s from Stoneybatter in Dublin, went on the show to speak about the care he was receiving in the Mater Hospital before the discussion turned to his impending nuptials.
Speaking about Michael, Matt said the pair had been friends for almost 30 years and that they decided marriage would be the easiest way to pass Matt’s house to Michael after his death.
He said the pair were not sexual partners but that they are close friends.
“He’s my best friend. He’ll be part of my life when I die and whatever I have, i.e. my home, there’ll be no problems. He can have it. Maybe save some money,” Matt said.
RTÉ Radio 1 / SoundCloud
Asked directly by Joe Duffy whether the marriage was a way of avoiding tax, Matt said that it was.
If he is to look after me in my old age. And this will be my 85th Christmas. I thought it was a very good thing that came into my head to say, nowadays, this is official.
Michael later came on the phone and confirmed that the pair planned to marry to make the inheritance cheaper.
Michael said the he was previously married himself but is now separated and that he also has three children. He says his children have known Matt their whole lives and are happy with the planned arrangement.
I know Matt 29 years, the same length of time as my own daughter. I’ve known Matt for years, he’s from the same area of Stoneybatter and he’s one of the nicest people you could ever meet.
RTÉ Radio 1 / SoundCloud
Michael went on to say that the idea to get married was Matt’s but that he was the one who was worried about the house potentially going into negative equity and him owing money.
“Matt said to me ‘look it I’m going to leave you the house’, and I said that’s a nice idea but because of tax reasons, I’d have to pay half of that to the government,” he said.
The pair said they are planning to get married in Tipperary next month.
Have a listen yourself to see what you think, both Matt and his future husband Michael spoke to Joe Duffy.
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