PLANNING to tie the knot this summer? Consider shielding some of your assets from your future spouse in a trust in case it all goes wrong, advise accountants.
This may sound unromantic and selfish but it is an option for the growing numbers of people remarrying after divorce.
A person who remarries late in life may wish their surviving spouse to benefit from their assets but not to the exclusion of the children from their first marriage - or ageing parents needing long-term care.
In order to achieve this, one may establish a 'life interest' trust for the surviving spouse's benefit.
They could receive income and enjoy the use of the trust's assets for the rest of their life but the trustees could be instructed to preserve the assets for the ultimate beneficiaries - either the children or the ageing parents.
"Getting married is an expensive business and people spend thousands of pounds and many hours poring over the details of the day," said Grant Thornton Poole tax manager John Caithness.
"However they neglect to consider the impact the change of marital status will have on their personal affairs.
"But your head should definitely rule your heart and careful financial planning should happen well in advance of the big day itself."
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