Nobody’s a fan of tax day. In fact, most of us get anxiety attacks on the weeks leading up to it, wondering what the hell we’ll end up owing (in California, it’s always more than you think). Now, I knew when I was single and filing taxes on my own I didn’t get some of the breaks my married friends got who had houses and kids to deduct. But then this article came out in The Atlantic, I see that deductions aren’t the only way single people get screwed when it comes to paying their fair share.
Now that I’m married, I get to partake in the benefits of joint filings, which is great for me. But for my single friends, especially those who don’t have a choice because they can’t legally marry their partners, well—let’s just say it’s double punishment for living a life you were meant to live. Regardless of whether you want to legally commit to someone or bask in your freedom, we should all be paying the same.
According to the Atlantic:
U.S. Federal Code Title 5 Part III says: The President may prescribe rules which shall prohibit… discrimination because of marital status. Yet more than 1,000 laws provide overt legal or financial benefits to married couples. Marital privileging marginalizes the 50 percent of Americans who are single. The U.S. government is the main perpetrator, but private companies follow its lead. Thus marital privilege pervades nearly every facet of our lives. Insurance policies—ranging from health, to life, to home, to car—cost more, on average, for unmarried people compared to those who are married. It is not a federal crime for landlords to discriminate against potential renters based on their marital status.
On a side note, I remember one instance when I was single and looking for a new apartment rental. I came across a manager who refused to show me a one-bedroom in an upscale complex because she thought it might be out of my price range. I argued with her, wondering why she would think that when she had no idea of my income. She responded with, “well, I have a young couple who are interested in this apartment. I think they’d be a better fit.” Why is that? I asked. “Let’s just say they’re doing things the right way.” When I pressed further, she admitted, “They have a combined income. There won’t be any issues.” I wish I could say I made up this exchange, but I did not. My married friend was a witness.
But I digress.
Our federal code contains more than 1,000 laws where marital status does factor into the equation of who pays what amount – and single people lose out. It floored me to learn that a single person making $80,000 per year would expect to pay OVER A MILLION DOLLARS MORE over her lifetime than her married counterpart earning the same amount. Seriously? A million more? Does that sound right to you?
I’m not conservative when it comes to paying taxes. I think we all benefit from taxes at some points in our lives, and they are a necessary evil (if I’d even call them evil). But the playing field should be level. Considering over half of the U.S. adult population is single (meaning, not married—some are living together but they don’t get any of the married folks’ tax benefits either), why aren’t we supporting equal treatment in terms of what they should pay for the same benefits?
I’m joining with fellow bloggers to call attention to the issue. Nobody should be considered “less than” for their personal choices. Just sayin’. #UnmarriedEquality #SinglesBlogfest
About Kelly Seal
Kelly is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles, CA. She blogs about dating, relationships, personal growth and what "healthy living" means to her. You can follow her on Google+, Twitter @kellyseal or through her website www.kellyseal.com.
I really don’t think this is fair. what happened to equality!