Marriage is a beautiful tradition. I genuinely love it. I’ve also been witness to two separate impromptu marriage proposals. They were amazing. Just me, the poor wife to be and the hopeless bloke who proposed.
Both could have been beautiful moments that I would have cherished forever. Instead I have two good anecdotes. Stories I tell couples when I meet with them to discuss tax planning. I now open with a joke as soon as I hear they are not married.
“Before the meeting is out you (speaking to the bloke normally) will ask this lady beside you to marry you possibly. Don’t. Go home, let it sit for a few month and then ask her. When you do, don’t mention this meeting!”
I say this because marriage is a tax superpower. Married couples have far greater tax planning opportunities that couples that are not married. So when I get to the bit that explains your Inheritance Tax bill and what it could have been if you were married do not turn to her and say:
“Well? Should we?”