If you're like the majority of Americans, you're single. And contrary to what 90s rom-coms would have you believe, this doesn't necessarily mean you're a lonely narcissist — in fact, your single status can actually be a great thing.
As a single person, you're more likely to be social, enjoy some restorative alone time, spend time on leisure, and reap some health rewards, among other things.
There is, however, a "but" coming.
Some research shows that, as with most things, there is a downside to being single.
Here are five ways being single can harm your success:
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Single people could be missing out on some happiness
A recent study on marital satisfaction released by the National Bureau of Economic Research and previously reported on by Business Insider suggests that the happiest people are those who are married to their best friends. And, controlling for pre-marital happiness, the study concluded that, overall, marriage leads to increased well-being.
The authors concluded that partners can provide each other with a unique kind of social support and help each other overcome some of life's biggest challenges.
Being single results in a pay penalty for men
A recent study conducted by W. Bradford Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, and Robert Lerman, an economics professor at American University, suggests that men see smaller salaries when they're single compared to their married counterparts.
According to the study results, single men between 28 and 30 years old earn around $15,900 less per year in individual income compared to their married counterparts, while single men between 44 and 46 years old make $18,800 less than married men of the same ages.
Single people pay some monetary penalties
According to two Atlantic writers who crunched some numbers, single women can pay as much as $1 million more than their married counterparts over a lifetime.
The writers looked at the tax penalties and bonuses, as well as living expenses like health spending and housing costs.
According to the US Department of the Treasury Office of Tax Analysis, more married couples under the age of 65 on average see bonuses than not for filing joint tax returns, something single people can't do.
According to the BLS data the Atlantic writers looked at, single women spent 7.9% of their annual income on their health, compared to couples who spent on average 6.9%.
And when it came to housing, single people tended to pay more: While married couples spent on average 23.9% of their annual income on housing, single men spent 30.3% and single women spent 39.8%.
By combining resources and splitting costs, married people have the edge on all kinds of day-to-day expenses in addition to rent or mortgage: One cable bill, one utilities bill, and shared groceries can all lead to big savings.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider