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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

The 'singles tax': How single Australians face higher costs

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The "singles tax" refers to the extra costs single people incur because they cannot split expenses like rent and bills with a partner.
  • Marni Trevena, 39, navigates these financial and emotional burdens alone, feeling disadvantaged by her single status.
  • Social scientist Bella DePaulo coined "singleism" to describe the marginalization and discrimination singles face in a society structured around couples and families.

Many single individuals face a hidden financial burden known as the "singles tax," which refers to the additional costs they incur because they cannot share expenses like rent, internet, insurance, and other household bills with a partner. Marni Trevena, a 39-year-old woman, exemplifies this struggle, navigating mortgages, bills, and major life decisions alone while contending with the emotional and financial impacts.

Having to pay for everything on your own with only one income is difficult. The economic pressure, it's a lot.

— Marni TrevenaTrevena describes the financial strain of living alone.

Ms. Trevena expressed that managing everything on a single income is difficult, creating significant economic pressure. She feels like she is living in a world designed for couples, noting that she could have settled for a less compatible partner for financial ease but chose not to. "Instead I feel like I've been disadvantaged by being a responsible, conscious, self-reflective person," she told the ABC.

But instead I feel like I've been disadvantaged by being a responsible, conscious, self-reflective person.

— Marni TrevenaTrevena reflects on the perceived disadvantage of remaining single.

The "singles tax" is distinct from tax implications related to the ATO. It highlights the extra financial burden single people carry simply for not being in a relationship. This issue is becoming increasingly relevant as single-person households are on the rise, projected to account for up to 28 percent of households within the next two decades. Notably, more than half of Australians living alone are women, with around half of those being 65 or older.

I think most places around the world see couples and families as the norm and single people as outliers, despite the striking rise of single people over past decades.

— Bella DePauloDePaulo explains the societal bias against single individuals.

Social scientist Bella DePaulo, who coined the term "singleism," argues that society has been slow to adapt to the growing number of single individuals. She describes "singleism" as the stereotyping, marginalization, and discrimination faced by singles. DePaulo believes that most societies view couples and families as the norm, treating single people as outliers. This "couple norm" influences everything from social expectations to public policy, leading to singles being ignored or treated unfairly for too long.

Single people have been ignored or treated unfairly for far too long.

— Bella DePauloDePaulo advocates for greater recognition and fair treatment of single people.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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