People on welfare benefits in the United States stand to lose 10 to 20 per cent of their income straight off if they get married, and this could discourage more of them not to marry. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Republic Senator Sam Brownback and marriage advocate David Blankenhorn say it is time to eliminate this marriage penalty, just as Congress has reduced marriage penalties paid by middle and higher income couples through the tax system.
The writers suggest that all newly married couples should receive all of their existing benefits for the first three years of marriage. This would give them time to realise the economic benefits of marriage and save some money to stabilise their situation before government benefits cease. "When that day comes, the government's message to low-income Americans will have changed dramatically. We will be saying: Your marriage matters -- for you and for all of us."
No comments:
Post a Comment