Want More Money and Benefits from Uncle Sam and Medicare
Marriage is made in heaven but lived on earth. Uncle Sam doesn’t make the latter any easier as you age. Social Security benefits began to be taxed in 1983. According to Kaplan, the taxation system is so bizarre that married couples with the same finances pay higher taxes than unmarried couples. There are two thresholds at which Social Security taxes kick in, with the applicable threshold being less than twice that of the threshold for an unmarried couple.
According to a new Washington University Law Review article, Federal Law punishes older couples who marry or stay married. If you encounter someone and fall in love during your golden years, you might be better off staying unmarried than getting married. Under current federal law, you and your long-term partner might be able to salvage your struggling finances by divorcing after 60 years of marriage.