Why Couples Should Get Married Argumentative Essay

The concept and practicality of marriage is constantly evolving in American society. Current trends see a rise in cohabitation before marriage. According to a study done in 2013, about half of women between 15 to 44 years of age cohabited with their partner outside of marriage. This is an increase from years past, and this brings up the question of the benefits of marriage (Gardner 2013). While many people today choose to live with their partners first before marriage, there are still many benefits to actually pursuing marriage. Marriage provides certain legal rights exclusively to couples, benefits for children, the possibility to build a stronger family, and religious acceptance.
There are many legal privileges married couples receive compared to singles and cohabitating couples and many of these benefits are financial related. The first financial benefit is social security. Social security payments, which are there for retired individuals to collect, can be given to surviving spouses including care for their children. If a spouse were to die, their social security payments would be transferred to their surviving spouse which can then be used for themselves and their children. The second financial benefit is tax breaks that married couples can collect. It is estimated that there are currently 179 tax provisions related to marital status. One of these is the earned income tax credit, which is based on the number of children within the taxpaying household. Another tax benefit is the head of household deduction and the child tax credit. Furthermore, being married will allow for an exemption from the estate tax, so if a spouse were to die, their assets could be transferred over to the other spouse free of tax. This also can apply to retirement savings, as the surviving spouse can transfer their deceased spouse’s funds over to their account with limited taxation (“Married Rights and Benefits”).
While there are many tax related legal benefits to marriage, there are many other ones as well. Married couples can acquire insurance benefits through a spouse’s employer, and also take family leave in order to care for a sick child or spouse. Married couples are automatically given visitation rights in hospital intensive care units, and make decisions for a spouse upon them becoming incapacitated. There are also many more deductions for health, homeowners, and auto insurance for married couples and their families. Finally, there a certain legal protections for couples upon being sued or other lawsuits (“Married Rights and Benefits”). Therefore, pursuing a marriage has many legal benefits as opposed to cohabitation or other scenarios.
Marriage has many legal benefits, but also provides improvements for children. Studies have shown that children in married, two parent households have lower levels of risk taking behavior. This is in reference to things like drug use, alcohol and premarital sex. Children raised in these types of household tend to have better long-lasting romantic relationships. Children in married households also have been shown to have better health. In a 2003 survey, children living with their biological or adoptive parents have better physical health than if they lived with a grandparent or single parent. They were less likely to be affected by asthma and missed fewer days of school. It is also found that children in married families have less economic distress and poverty, and with that comes less college debt (Didier 2013).
Because of these economic and social factors, this will ultimately lead to marriage leading to stronger families. For one thing, the economic status of married couples is usually higher than non-married couples, so this will lead to better education and medical coverage. Because of these things, children coming from a married couple will start off at a higher level and better opportunities for future growth. There will be more chances for education and career opportunities. It is simply easier to raise a child in a married couple household than any other scenario. However, there is also the fact that marriage is a commitment, and there are certain ramifications if this commitment is broken. That is why the foundation of a marriage will put in place the necessary structures to build strong families. Contrary to cohabitation, married couples have promised to commit themselves to each other, and although this is not always taken seriously in society, it still does have meaning. This will lead spouses to try to seek ways of compromising and working through difficulties, rather than simply leaving and sharing the children if necessary. Because the statistics show children do better in married households, the commitment aspect of marriage is important to consider, and will ultimately lead to building stronger families. Added to this fact is that married couples also have extended families to rely on, as children do better when placed in the context of grandparents and other relatives. This creates a strong support system, which only strengthens the family (Bowman).
Finally, there are religious reasons to entering a marriage. Seeing as Christianity is supportive of marriage, and especially looks down on cohabitation, many Christian see marriage as the Godly course of action. Marriage is ultimately ordained by God, and only through making this lifelong commitment does this provide acceptance in the eyes of God and the church. Christianity teaches that sex outside of marriage is sinful, and this is one of the problems with cohabitation. The only acceptable place for sex within Christianity is within the context of marriage, which is another reason why marriage is stressed within the Christian community. The Bible supports the view that marriage is the foundation of society, and that it originated as part of God’s plan for humanity in an attempt to further society. The Bible supports the importance of children in a marriage and how the husband and wife are to support each other within this context. Raising a family and living with someone outside of marriage is sin, and for these reasons marriage places a family in acceptance with God and his laws. Marriage is a binding contract within the church, which is why it creates a foundation for a strong family (Jackson).
In conclusion, marriage provides many benefits for families. Marriage provides many legal rights, benefits for children, the possibility for a strong family, and living in accordance with God’s will for humanity. The current cultural trends are falling away from the traditional marriage as supported within Christianity, but the statistics are still almost all in overwhelming support for marriage. A two parent household provides many benefits for the actual spouses, and also for the children raised in this family. Marriage is a way to improve economic and education settings for all involved, and puts in place a support system for many families. For these reasons, marriage is still a great foundation for society and why there are so many benefits to engaging in this commitment.

Works Cited

Gardner, Amanda. "More U.S. Couples Living Together Instead of Marrying, CDC Finds." U.S.News & World Report, 4 Apr. 2013. Web. 9 Mar. 2015. <http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2013/04/04/more-us-couples-living-together-instead-of-marrying-cdc-finds>.
"Marriage Rights and Benefits." Web. 9 Mar. 2015. <http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/marriage-rights-benefits-30190.html>.
Dider, Suzanna. "What Are the Benefits of a Two-Parent Household?" LIVESTRONG.COM, 29 Jan. 2013. Web. 9 Mar. 2015. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/560652-what-are-the-benefits-of-a-two-parent-household/>.
Jackson, Wayne. "Marriage: As Designed by God." Christian Courier. Web. 9 Mar. 2015. <https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/843-marriage-as-designed-by-god>.
Bowman, Henry. 'Education For Marriage And Family Life'. Marriage and Family Living 8.3 (1946): 63. Web.