ALMOST HALF OF us are okay with the idea of two people getting married to avoid inheritance tax.
In a study carried out by Amarách Research for RTÉ’s Claire Byrne Live, 48% of people said they would support two people getting married where the sole purpose is to avoid inheritance tax.
A total of 36% of respondents said they would not support it.
A further 16% said they didn’t know.
The poll comes after two friends went on RTÉ’s Liveline on Friday 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.
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.
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.
The pair said they are planning to get married in Tipperary next month.
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