Getting married in the CF

[Corvin]

I'm getting married next month and was wondering if there are any entitlements that I'm not aware off?

I've talked to the clerks here, but since I'm on PRETC I'm not sure if they have the most up to date info or the inclination to bother doing anything beyond stamping leave passes.  They've told me that there is no longer a special Marriage Leave and that nothing changes until my next posting, but I'm trying to find out if any of that is true.

Thanks.

 

[George Wallace]

I'm getting married next month and was wondering if there are any entitlements that I'm not aware off?

I've talked to the clerks here, but since I'm on PRETC I'm not sure if they have the most up to date info or the inclination to bother doing anything beyond stamping leave passes. 

Boy you are in a hurt locker if you keep that attitude.  Who would be better up to date on that info, but the Clerks? 

They've told me that there is no longer a special Marriage Leave

"Marriage Leave"  ???  Never heard that one before.  Speaking of that, perhaps I should plan a 'Honeymoon' now that I have retired and been married twenty-one years?  I got married on a Friday so that I could have a weekend off before going into the Field.  This is the first time in my life that I have heard anything about "Marriage Leave".

  and that nothing changes until my next posting, but I'm trying to find out if any of that is true.

Well they are being lazy on this account.  Everything changes as soon as you bring in the Marriage Certificate and have it put on your Docs.  Your pay deductions will change, as will your Tax deductions.  You will have all kinds of Docs to fill out again, as your NOK will now be changed.  You will need a new Will.  You'll now be in a conundrum as to where you will be housing your new Bride and moving her if you are allowed.  All these things are what the Clerks are paid the big bucks for, so see them.  If a Pte or Cpl Clerk doesn't help you, call in the Sgt.

 

[muffin]

 
"Marriage Leave"  ???  Never heard that one before.  Speaking of that, perhaps I should plan a 'Honeymoon' now that I have retired and been married twenty-one years?  I got married on a Friday so that I could have a weekend off before going into the Field.  This is the first time in my life that I have heard anything about "Marriage Leave".

Haha ... Jeff came back from ex in Gagetown 2 days before the wedding and left the day after to go to Petawawa... (we are in Kingston).

The day before the wedding a WO called our house asking what time the wedding was to see if Jeff could come in before or after ... afterall.. it doesn't take all day to get married does it?!

The army never fails to crack me up  :blotto:

muffin

 

[scoutfinch]

Make sure you redo your will.  Even if your spouse was the beneficiary of your estate in a previous will, marriage will invalidate the earlier will and your estate will be distributed according to intestacy legislation.

It only costs a couple bucks to make sure it is done correctly.

 

[George Wallace]

Make sure you redo your will.  Even if your spouse was the beneficiary of your estate in a previous will, marriage will invalidate the earlier will and your estate will be distributed according to intestacy legislation.

And your SISIP too.

That is why you have to see the Clerks as soon as you do get married.  There is a 'ton' of paperwork that you will have to do and it is 'time sensitive' so don't let them tell you that it can wait.

 

[scoutfinch]

Good advice, George.

I add one comment.  Remember that proceeds of insurance policies pass to the recipient outside of a will.  As a result, there are no estate taxes paid on the proceeds.  I have seen insurance policies which leave the proceeds to the estate (which makes no sense to me as a lawyer and any insurance salesperson who tells you to do so is simply trying to force you to make a decision so that they don't have to wait for their commission payment) which means upon death the insurance money goes to the estate and is taxable if it passes to any person other than the spouse.

The person you name as the beneficiary of your insurance policy will not pay taxes on any insurance proceeds.  Neither will your spouse if they receive money through the operation of a will.  Money received by persons other than a spouse will be subject to taxes.  If you plan on leaving money to people other than your spouse, you would be well advised to do so by way of an insurance policy.

Please note that according to the Canadian constitution, wills and estates are properly the domain of the province and each province has its own legislation controlling the drafting of wills.  That is why it is good advice to see a lawyer rather than drafting one yourself.

 

[medicineman]

Marriage leave - HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!!!

Despite having a leave pass to go home for my wedding (which changed dates faster than most people change their underwear), I was also on 8 hours notice to go to a work at a DVA hospital during the 1989/90 PSAC strike.  I put up with an awful lot of grief from all over the place over that.  Oddly enough, I'm divorced now...

MM

 

[Collin.t]

Is there any advantage of being married over being common law or is there another legal status that is equal to being married ?

 

[Sig_Des]

is there another legal status that is equal to being married ?

having someone take all your money every pay?

 

[Michael OLeary]

is there another legal status that is equal to being married ?

Hmmmmm,

having to look over your shoulder for approval at every moment
handing over most of your pay every month
having to be careful what you say around their family
being expected to do 'favours' without return

I suppose being heavily in debt to the Mob would be similar, but that might not meet the condition of "legal."

 

[patrick666]

Prison is a legal status by illegal means but similiar just the same.  ;D

 

[Blackadder1916]

... was wondering if there are any entitlements that I'm not aware off?

Well, you're entitled (required) to agree with whatever your new wife tells you!  That's what all my ex-wives told me, maybe I should have listened.

I have seen insurance policies which leave the proceeds to the estate ... which means upon death the insurance money goes to the estate and is taxable if it passes to any person other than the spouse.
...Money received by persons other than a spouse will be subject to taxes.

Not to get off the track but, you're in error here.
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/individuals/topics/income-tax/return/completing/reporting-income/nottaxed-e.html
Amounts that are not taxed
You do not have to include certain amounts in your income, including the following:

• most gifts and inheritances;
• most amounts received from a life insurance policy following someone's death; and 

 
The simple answer is there is no Estate (death) Tax in Canada.  But if taxes were simple, I wouldn't have a business.  What people often refer to as "estate tax" is the taxes payable on capital property that is deemed disposed upon the death of a taxpayer.  A major  benefit of naming an individual as the beneficiary of an insurance policy rather than naming your estate, is that the individual will probably receive the money quicker than waiting for the estate to be settled.

 

[Long in the tooth]

In military terms common law and marriage are exactly the same.  Interestingly, you can be married to one person and common law with another (as my current wife was).

I've been out of the life insurance business for some years, but has there been some change to revocable/non-revocable beneficiary status that I don't know about in terms of taxes?