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Link to Essay:
Unfair
Taxation of
Unmarried Americans
Links to Survey
Responses
by Members of Congress
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Federal Taxation of Unmarried Americans 2001 Congressional Survey
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On March 7, 2001, AASP mailed the following survey to each member of Congress. We have also asked our members to send the survey to their representatives in Washington, asking them to answer the questions and return the form to our office.
Single and unmarried taxpayers want to know where their elected officials in the Capitol stand on unfair taxation of unmarried Americans.
We will report the results of the survey on our website and through a press release sometime in May 2001.
| The American Association for Single People does not lobby for or against specific legislation. As a function of our voter education service, we do conduct surveys of candidates and elected officials to determine their positions on issues affecting unmarried Americans. We report the results to our members and to the public so people can be informed about whether politicians care enough to respond, and if so, what their positions are with respect to these issues. |
1. The size of our constituency. About 43% of adult Americans, about 80 million of us, are unmarried – many have never married, while others are divorced or widowed. More than 45% of the nation’s households do not contain a married couple. In large cities, the majority of adults are not married. About 40% of the nation’s full-time workforce is unmarried. In the most recent presidential election, 35% of people who voted were unmarried. In places like California, we were 42% of voters. Question 1: Were you aware that unmarried Americans constituted such a large group? [ ] yes [ ] no
2. The death tax. Some members of Congress, such as Senator Joe Lieberman, favor "marriage neutrality" in the tax codes. The federal estate tax is not marriage-neutral. Unmarried people with significant assets can have up to 60% of their estates taken by the federal death tax even though they have paid income tax, capital gains tax, or property taxes on these same assets during their lives. The estate of a married person, however, is not taxed when similar assets are left to a surviving spouse, no matter how large the estate may be. Such favoritism for married people works to the disadvantage of unmarried adults who are taxed when they die and leave assets to a child, a parent, an unmarried partner, or a friend. Question 2: Which asset transfers should the death tax not apply to? (Check one or more boxes.) [ ] a spouse [ ] a relative [ ] an unmarried partner [ ] a friend [ ] the death tax should be repealed
3. Joint income tax returns. Millions of married couples save money because they can file a joint income tax return. In fact, there are more married couples who have a "marriage bonus" by filing a joint return than there are married couples with a "marriage penalty" from joint filing. (Report to the House Ways and Means Committee, Joint Committee on Taxation, June 22, 1999.) Many unmarried adults who live together, including two blood relatives or two unmarried partners, would like the option to save on taxes by having the ability to file joint tax returns but they are currently prohibited from doing so. Question 3: Which two people who live
together should be able to file a joint tax return? [ ] married couple [ ] unmarried partners [ ] two relatives [ ] any two adults [ ] none of these
4. Child tax credits. An unmarried taxpayer who provides support for a child living in his or her household may not claim the child credit or an earned income credit if the child is not blood related or placed in the home by a government agency. Question 4: Should a taxpayer (such as the unmarried partner of an unemployed parent) be able to claim child tax credits for a child the taxpayer is supporting, even if the child is not a relative or agency placed? [ ] yes [ ] no
5. Adult dependent deduction. Taxpayers in 15 states and the District of Columbia may not claim their unmarried unemployed partner as a dependent because federal tax law prohibits such deductions if the relationship is in violation of local law. These jurisdictions have laws prohibiting unmarried sex or cohabitation and courts have said that these laws trigger the no-deduction clause of federal tax law. Question 5: Is it fair that couples in some states may not claim an unmarried partner as a dependent? [ ] yes [ ] no
6. Social security taxes. The Cato Institute has noted that a single worker and a married worker pay the same social security tax, but benefits for the single worker are much less. Rates of return for one-earner married couples are up to 85% higher than for single males. The Rand Corporation says this has an even harsher impact on African American males, because they are disproportionately unmarried and die younger as a class. Single people forfeit their benefits when they die, but a surviving spouse can collect benefits for many years. Partial privatization of social security would allow a portion of the tax to be invested in a private account that single people would not forfeit. Question 6: Do you support partial privatization of social security taxes? [ ] yes [ ] no
Name of Senator or Representative: ________________________________________________ Date _________________ Contact person’s name _________________________________________ Phone ________________________ You may also reply by fax to: |
Survey results will be released in May 2001. Return completed questionnaire to: American Association for Single People |