Free Civil Partnerships Advice
The Civil Partnership Act 2004 made it possible for a same sex couple to form a union which gives the couple similar legal rights to those of married couples.
The process of forming a civil partnership is similar to that of getting married and can even follow a similar procedure such as a ceremony and party like a wedding, if you wish. You must visit a registrar in the area you wish to form your union and give notice which lasts 15 days regarding your intention to join a civil partnership, this notice is published and anyone who may have an objection to such a union between the two parties can make a formal objection. If an objection is made the civil partnership may not go ahead unless the registrar is satisfied the objection is not relevant or the objection is withdrawn.
Like marriage, if you have lots of finances, children to take care of or assets you should consider taking some legal advice on how these would be affected by your civil partnership, especially as civil partnerships give the couple the same legal rights and responsibilities of a married couple.
A civil partnership can have a financial and legal impact on many aspects of your life, these include:
- Taxes such as inheritance tax
- Parental responsibility for a child
- Pensions
- Benefits
- Duty to provide maintenance for your partner and children
A civil partnership can also be dissolved in two simple steps if you have grounds to do so. The first step is to is to submit your wish to dissolve your partnership to a court and the reasons for doing so. If the court agrees which your wish to dissolve your partnership and there are no disputes or objections then you will receive a final order which will signify the legal end of your civil partnership. It can of course end up more complicated than this, especially if there are objections or disagreements regarding possessions, assets and children.