Financial and legal tips before remarrying

A man and a woman sitting on a bed with a dog

People increasingly choose to remarry after a divorce or bereavement, but a second marriage comes with key practical issues to consider. Don’t forget about these in the excitement of building a new life with your spouse. Taking some time to think about your finances can save a lot of heartache for you and your family in the future.

Your benefits

If you marry, register a civil partnership or live with someone as a couple, any means-tested benefits you receive, such as Pension Credit, Housing Benefit (Rate Relief in Northern Ireland) or Council Tax Benefit, may be affected. This is because your partner’s income is included as part of the overall assessment. Notify the office that pays your benefits as soon as possible.

Your State Pension

You are allowed to use your ex-partner’s National Insurance record for your basic state pension if it means you’d receive a higher pension as a result. However, if you remarry or register a new civil partnership before you reach State Pension age, you lose this right. Widows, widowers and surviving civil partners can also inherit some or all of their late partner’s additional pension or graduated retirement benefit, but lose this right if they remarry or register a new civil partnership before State Pension age.

Your private pension

If you’re a member of a company pension scheme, you may want to change the nominated beneficiary. This is the person who receives any benefits from the scheme if you die.

Your will

Any people wrongly believe that divorce invalidates a will. It doesn’t, but remarrying or entering a new civil partnership does. You can add a clause to your will to prevent it being cancelled by your remarriage, but you will probably want to make a new will to reflect your new circumstances.

Wills and estate planning

Maintenance

If you are receiving any maintenance (for yourself as opposed to any children) from your ex-partner, this will stop when you remarry. It can also happen if you co-habit. Child support will not be affected.

For more information, see our guides:

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