You open your fridge. Half a cantaloupe is rotting. The bag of onions from Costco never stood a chance. Singles tax isn't just about April 15th. It's about every grocery run where the bulk discount requires buying more food than one person can eat before it spoils in your 700-square-foot apartment with no basement freezer.

The tax code gives couples spousal RSPs: the higher earner puts money in the lower earner's retirement account, sheltering more income from tax. Singles can't do this. Couples pool medical expenses to hit the deduction threshold. You won't. After retirement, they split income between two tax returns, both dropping into lower brackets. You stay in yours. Every fixed cost, from rent to mortgage qualification, splits two ways for them, lands entirely on you.

The sovereignty cuts both ways. You make every financial decision alone. No compromising on what you want because of someone else's debt or spending habits. But the paperwork gap is close-able: common law gets you the benefits after a year. Cohabitation agreements protect your assets. Power of attorney means your partner decides, not your family. The real cost isn't being single. It's not understanding how the government treats your relationship status, whatever it is.

Topics: singles tax, relationship finances, tax planning couples, estate planning singles, financial sovereignty

GUEST: Renee Sylvestre-Williams | @‌reneesylvestrewilliams

Originally aired on 2026-01-29