For the first time ever, fewer than half of UK adults are married or in a civil partnership, yet the law hasn't caught up with how many of us now live together instead. So, legally and financially, is it still worth getting married?

Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and our expert panel as they discuss whether marriage still pays off financially and legally, and what unmarried couples need to put in place instead:

• Financial Planner, Mike Donkor;
• Solicitor and Partner at Collyer Bristow, Philippa Dolan; and
• Chief Marketing Officer at PensionBee, Jasper Martens.

Episode breakdown 01:18 Why marriage rates are falling

05:44 The financial perks of marriage

09:04 When unmarried couples split

12:41 Avoiding the money conversation

16:20 How are pensions shared

19:28 Who gets the pets?

21:15 Protecting your partner with a will

24:22 Cohabitation Agreements and annual reviews

28:48 A fairer end to relationships

Further reading and listening To learn more about managing money in a couple, check out these articles and podcasts from PensionBee:

• Episode transcript (Blog)
• E14: What's the impact of your relationship status on your finances? (Podcast)
• E35: The cost of divorce (Podcast)
• How does divorce or remarrying affect your pension? (Article)
• Pension beneficiaries (Article)
• Six money conversations you need to have with your family (Blog)
• Why pensions deserve your attention during divorce (Blog)
• Writing a will (Article)

Other useful resources * A fairer end to relationships: consultation (GOV.UK) * Capital Gains Tax allowances (GOV.UK) * Cohabitation Agreement guidance (The Law Society) * Families and households in the UK (Office for National Statistics) * Inheritance Tax (GOV.UK) * Marriage Allowance (GOV.UK)

Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:

• The Pension Confident Podcast
• The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube

Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

Follow Collyer Bristow (@Collyer_Bristow) on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and X.

Follow Mike Donkor (@michaelgdonkor) on TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: podcast@pensionbee.com.