It’s tough being single

It’s tough being single … at least when it comes to money. Most financial plans tend to centre on milestones that have a lot more to do with couples than singles: Get married. Merge your financial lives. Buy a house. Have a child. Buy some insurance. Start saving for college — it’s a pretty traditional pattern.

Expect that today people are marrying much later or just aren’t marrying at all — to say nothing of all those relationships, same-sex or otherwise, that fall somewhere in between.

Just as with married couples though, the older singles get, the more assets they accumulate. And they’ve got an even greater need than a couple to put a plan in place that will protect what they’ve got, including that earning power. After all, there’s no spouse who’ll automatically inherit property or who can make up for some of your lost earnings if you get fired or become sick.

The asset singles most need to protect, however, is probably their earning ability. One way to do that is with a disability plan, income-replacement insurance that provides a tax-free income in the event you can’t work because of injury or illness. It’s a perk that many employers don’t offer, or at least not at the level that higher-income earners might find useful, and it’s one worth exploring.

Consider it one of your New Year’s resolutions.

Gordon Buckland