Sunday, February 12, 2006

The Costs of Marriage

Ohio State researcher Jay Zagorsky reviewed 9,055 baby boomers to reveal that married couples collected net worths that were 93% higher than those who are single or divorced. Although it is cheaper for two people to share rent, there are expenses that the celibate don't need to worry about such as a second mode of transportation.
The costs of housing and transportation after marriage aren't the only factors though. There is the initial cost of dating and the additional fees for special occasions. The spouse could also have a higher expectation of the various household items that will be purchased. Then there is the enormous cost of having kids. According to Zagorsky, after divorce, wealth goes down 77% along with lost property. In the long run, marriage had the most advantages economically.

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