'Divorced' Versus 'Single'
I've seen it a number of times on forms you're asked to fill out for whatever reason (insurance, government, whatever). There's usually a field for 'Marital Status', and the choices are usually:
1) Single
2) Married
3) Divorced
4) Common-law
I honestly don't understand the difference between 'single' and 'divorced'. If you ended a marriage, and you're no longer in a legal relationship, doesn't that make you single?
To me, it's almost as if they're boxing you into a category that doesn't need to exist, like 'Yes, I'm single, but I was once part of a couple'. If 'single' means 'never married', why don't they specify that?
'Common-law' is there for its own legal reasons (the six-month rule), so I can see why that's on there. But, to me, if you're not legally married or in a proven common-law relationship, the law considers you to be a 'single' person (I'm talking about legalities here, not 'I have a significant other but we're not hitched or living together'). There are no separate tax laws for divorced people. You either have a spouse, or you don't.
I just don't get it.
1) Single
2) Married
3) Divorced
4) Common-law
I honestly don't understand the difference between 'single' and 'divorced'. If you ended a marriage, and you're no longer in a legal relationship, doesn't that make you single?
To me, it's almost as if they're boxing you into a category that doesn't need to exist, like 'Yes, I'm single, but I was once part of a couple'. If 'single' means 'never married', why don't they specify that?
'Common-law' is there for its own legal reasons (the six-month rule), so I can see why that's on there. But, to me, if you're not legally married or in a proven common-law relationship, the law considers you to be a 'single' person (I'm talking about legalities here, not 'I have a significant other but we're not hitched or living together'). There are no separate tax laws for divorced people. You either have a spouse, or you don't.
I just don't get it.