Last month’s article showed that today’s unmarried couples have more legal rights than they did a half-century ago. This raises the big question: Why get married? There are several financial benefits for married couples. Probably the most talked about is the ability to be on the other spouse’s health insurance plan. Another is reducing the couple’s overall tax burden by filing a joint tax return. Still a less well-known benefit involves social security payments: If a person becomes disabled and is married, the amount of social security disability payments received is significantly boosted.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.” Written by Pete Seeger in the late 1950s and made famous by the Byrds’ version of the song in 1965, Turn, Turn Turn (To Everything There is a Season) compiles a list of many of life’s most potent events. The list of course includes embracing. It includes love. But, where on that list is marriage?