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OP states that "if kids are not a priority". Even if they were our government awards child support and generous single parent benefits that can assist a non-married couple if need be.
The government also awards tax breaks to those who are married. My take home pay would be right around $300 more per month, if I were married right now. Her take home pay would be about $150-200$ more a month, if we were married. That's almost $500 more dollars a month for us to keep to ourselves. If I think about it long enough, I might be a little bit annoyed that we will have been engaged for almost 3 years before getting married, and wasted thousands of dollars that we could have been taking home. We could have went to Hawaii every year, with the extra money we'd be saving in taxes.
^ Great point! It's arbitrary and capricious to make single people pay more in taxes, and there is a lack of a compelling argument as to why this is serves a legitimate public purpose.
If you don't want to get married, then don't get married.
Marriage is for security for children. If affects your social security benefits. It can affect your health insurance. It affects inheritance. It determines exactly who gets to decide to pull the plug if you are in a coma, and it can determine who is allowed to visit you if you are in the hospital.
If you think marriage is meaningless what is your version of the reason gays and lesbians are fighting so hard for the right to get married?
Yes, this. The fact is there are many legal rights and protections (federal and state, depending on which state you live in) that come with marriage that are not available to "significant others" or partners in a civil union. Some things can be set up legally without being married, but it requires hiring lawyers to draw up papers and what-not. But again, does you no good for things like taxes and some types of insurance.
ETA: ask someone in the military what kinds of special benefits are given to married members! There's a reason so many in the military get married young and after whirlwind relationships.
A few male friends who are divorcing have said that there is no reason to marry in today's US culture and that boyfriend/girlfriend or "engaged" is as far as it really needs to go if kids are not a priority. Thoughts?
I think theres nothing wrong with choosing to not marry. Every person should do as they think best.
The government also awards tax breaks to those who are married. My take home pay would be right around $300 more per month, if I were married right now. Her take home pay would be about $150-200$ more a month, if we were married. That's almost $500 more dollars a month for us to keep to ourselves. If I think about it long enough, I might be a little bit annoyed that we will have been engaged for almost 3 years before getting married, and wasted thousands of dollars that we could have been taking home. We could have went to Hawaii every year, with the extra money we'd be saving in taxes.
Just saying....
Thats not true for everyone. Totally depends on personal circumstances.
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"I don't understand. But I don't care, so it works out."
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Quote:
Originally Posted by soletaire
Cue the links to the annually published study showing all men benefit from marriage while all women are only dragged down by men in marriage.
I'm not sure if you said that tongue in cheek, but yes.
Statistics show that men are happier married, where women are not. Men who were happily married and are widowed tend to quickly try to seek a new wife, where women who are widows just say ya, not so much. I'm good.
So to answer the OPs question. Yes. There is compelling reasons for a man to marry. Statistically, he'll be happier than his counterparts who aren't married.
But this was a generation ago, where now it seems nobody marries and men just impregnate women and leave them to raise the kids. So all bets are off.
No real rational reason for me. I was in my late 40s, her early 40s ... both totally self-sufficient and independent. I asked her to marry me because, after I got to know here, I knew that there was no other woman on earth I wanted to be with but her and I didn't want to share her with no other guy. 13 years later I still feel that way.
Thats not true for everyone. Totally depends on personal circumstances.
Cool beans for you, though.
I never said someone should marry for tax reasons, just countering the OP's government benefit answer, with a government benefit answer of my own.
I don't quite follow what you were referring to when you said ''That's not true for everyone''. Single people do pay more taxes than if they were married. I do believe there are tax credits for single parents with children, though. It used to be something like $1000 per child, but only a maximum of two children?
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