The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, enacted in England and Wales in March 2014 with Scotland following suit the following December, has gone down as one of the greatest pieces of socially progressive legislation to have ever been passed in this country. For the first time in our history, couples of the same gender have been able to legally marry, allowing them to obtain the same legal status as married couples of opposite sexes.
While clients are now less likely to be aware of the benefits, spousal bypass trusts continue to play an important role in relation to inheritance tax planning, explains Louise O'Toole