Joint tax return without marriage ?

Hi Folks,

All going well my girlfrend and myself will be getting a baby later this year. She will stop working then, meaning she will be on quite a low tax rate, while I shall be slogging away as normal as ever. There's been no discussion about marriage (and I don't think tax is a romantic enough reason to initiate it!); but we would like to give up a joint tax return.

Is this possible ? We have just lived together in Gemrnay for a few years where it was possible, but I have a feeling it may b different here.

Many Thanks,

Darragh.

[broken link removed] is currently only an option for married couples and not for other arrangements (e.g. cohabitees, including same sex relationships). Non married individuals are always assessed as separate/single individuals.

Though there is a legal challenge in the pipeline.

Thanks guys.... unfortunately were not a gay couple, but who knows, this could be the starting point. I might ring up the tax desk tomorrow just to double check, cause I find it quite hard that you must be married to do this.

However it's true.

Hi again,
Sorry about changing the angle here... but would you know if I could claim myself as the single parent to increase my tax credits, so that my girlfriend would pay full tax but I would get the single parent tax credits ?
Once again, thanks for your help,
Darragh

Hi,

Yes you can claim single parent allowance but only where you and your girlfriend are not living together as "man and wife". It is the same rules are claiming the social welfare single parent allowance.