Inflation Widens Married Couples' Money Lead Over Their Single Friends

"It is better, financially, to be married than single, as has almost always been the case. But the money gap between young married couples and singles has widened, thanks to inflation and rising home prices.

The median net worth of married couples 25 to 34 years old was nearly nine times as much as the median net worth of single households in 2019, according to the most recent data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. In 2010, married households' median net worth was four times as much. And now, after a spell of rapid inflation and more than two years of pandemic living, single people are getting left further behind, say economists at the Fed and elsewhere.

"This 25-to-34-year-old age is a time of transition, it's a time of household formation, and I think it matters whether or not you can pool your financial resources with someone else," said Lowell Ricketts, a data scientist for the Institute for Economic Equity at the St. Louis Fed.

Married people are being tested by inflation, too. It is just that they have a larger, shared cushion, often with two incomes and pooled assets. They hold a greater concentration of wealth and considerably less debt, according to research from the St. Louis Fed.

Having combined assets was particularly helpful over the past decade as many households' wealth was compounded by rising housing prices and a strong stock market.

As people marry later, the number of sole-person households is growing, which means more single people are tackling multiple financial challenges entirely on their own. Over the past four decades, the number of sole-person households has nearly doubled, according to data from Freddie Mac. And by delaying marriage, many now struggle to access money milestones at the ages previous generations achieved them.

Last year Alyssa Cruz, a 27-year-old library cataloger living in Columbus, Ohio, got a long-awaited raise that helped her build her savings and open her first investment account.

With prices for essentials such as gasoline and groceries going up, she said the progress she made last year feels shaky. These days, she regularly donates plasma when she needs help stretching her budget and shoring up her emergency fund. She can donate as often as twice a week, earning roughly $50 to $60 for each donation.

Bigger assets, such as homeownership, still feel far away.

"If we're going off what Facebook looks like, everyone is getting married and buying houses," Ms. Cruz said. "I'm stuck where I am, and I'm doing OK, but it's a renting future."

When it comes to building wealth via homeownership, finding a smaller starter home -- once the gateway for single people becoming homeowners -- remains especially difficult as prices remain high, say economists. Housing affordability in June 2022 hit its worst level since June 1989, and home prices are up 44% over the past two years, according to data from real-estate brokerage Redfin Corp. With housing prices so high and starter-home inventory so low, more single people are struggling to find affordable houses to buy.

This is where married couples have one of their largest advantages. Applying for a mortgage, these couples can work together to create an attractive application as well as amass the necessary money for a healthy down payment.

Single women face additional hurdles to generating wealth.

The gender wage gap begins to widen as early as three years after college graduation, a Wall Street Journal analysis found. Women also live significantly longer than men, which puts added pressure on them to finance their retirement years solo.

"These are scary times for anyone, but they're particularly scary times, I think, for the reasons we have cited, for single women," said Jill Gianola, a financial planner and the founder of Gianola Financial Planning.

Ms. Cruz said she is taking steps to earn more money as she prepares to go back to school and earn a master's degree in data analysis.

She said she would like to move closer to her family, so she can spend less money on driving and plane tickets when she visits them.

Gabie Kur-Oliva said she has seen the power of connecting finances in her own marriage. She and her husband, bilingual special-education teacher Pablo Oliva, got married in spring 2020. When the Long Island, N.Y., couple first met, Mr. Oliva was carrying nearly $10,000 of credit-card debt.

"I've always thought about the future, but my career wouldn't let me think beyond the financial struggles I had. Meeting Gabie opened up my vision," Mr. Oliva said.

Together, they worked to pay down his debt. Mrs. Kur-Oliva, who had the money in her savings, paid off his high-interest credit card entirely. They also arranged for Mr. Oliva to pay her back at no interest.

"We called it 'the wifey bank,'" she said.

The security and support they provide each other in their relationship has also boosted Mrs. Kur-Oliva's career in public relations, she said. Without her husband handling household improvements and assisting with child care for their 1-year-old son, she wouldn't be able to work more hours or take on additional consulting jobs, all of which she attributes to helping her career grow.

The backup is also there should either of them encounter a financial disaster, she said.

Meanwhile, single people will face any potential disaster from health or other issues alone. While emergency savings and other financial preparation can soften the blow, they can't provide the same support.

"You have a built-in emergency policy with a partner," said Isabel Sawhill, senior fellow in family studies at the Brookings Institution. "You have someone to help bail you out. That is critical."" [1]

1. Inflation Widens Married Couples' Money Lead Over Their Single Friends
Carpenter, Julia. 
Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 16 Aug 2022: A.10.

Kaip įvertinti COVID-19 riziką, kai oficialios gairės yra lengvos ir neaiškios

Kas bus po dvidešimt metų su tais, kurie persirgo lengvu Covid-19 ir turi truputį pažeistus galvos smegenų ir širdies audinius? Niekas to nežino, nes dar nepraėjo dvidešimt metų. 

 

    „JAV Federalinių Covid-19 gairių sušvelninimas suteikia asmenims vis didesnę atsakomybę nustatyti savo rizikos toleranciją ir elgesį.

 

    JAV Ligų kontrolės ir prevencijos centrai (CDC) atsisakė rekomendacijos dėl karantino, užsikrėtus koronavirusu, nepaisant skiepijimo būsenos ir socialinio atsiribojimo. Naujosios gairės iš esmės atspindi tai, ką didžioji dalis JAV gyventojų jau darė, nes vakcinos, ankstesnė infekcija ir gydymas sumažino sunkios ligos riziką, net kai virusas ir toliau cirkuliuoja dideliais kiekiais didžiojoje šalies dalyje.

 

    Daugelis darbdavių tikisi, kad šis žingsnis paskatins jų grįžimą į darbą. Daugelis JAV mokyklų ir koledžų jau buvo panaikinę Covid protokolus, nes ruošiasi studentams grįžti rudenį.

 

    Tačiau žmonės, kurių imuninė sistema susilpnėjusi ir turi kitų sveikatos komplikacijų, vis dar gali susidurti su didesne rizika, o sveiki žmonės vis dar dažnai turi didesnės rizikos artimuosius, kuriuos nori apsaugoti.

 

    Ilgalaikiai simptomai, susiję su užsitęsusiu Covid, tokie, kaip smegenų rūkas ir didelis nuovargis, gali išsivystyti net po lengvos infekcijos. O vidutinis Covid atvejis vis tiek gali priversti sveikus žmones jaustis gana niūriai.

 

    „Esame tokioje pandemijos fazėje, kai kiekvienas žmogus turi atsisėsti, pažvelgti į savo riziką ir pats nuspręsti, kas jam tinka“, – sako Abhijit Duggal, Klivlando klinikos pulmonologas.

 

    Taigi, kaip jūs turėtumėte priimti sprendimus dabar, kai planuojate savo gyvenimą? Štai ką pataria gydytojai.

 

    Nustatykite savo rizikos profilį

 

    Neprivalote būti transplantacijos recipientu ar vėžiu sergančiu pacientu, kad galėtumėte ir toliau imtis tam tikrų atsargumo priemonių, įskaitant kaukes patalpose. 

 

Pavyzdžiui, nėščia arba astma sergantis asmuo gali norėti ir toliau būti atsargesniais, sako Natasha Bhuyan, Finikso pirminės sveikatos priežiūros gydytoja ir „One Medical“ regioninė medicinos direktorė.

 

    60 metų Donaldas Wightas, sergantis prostatos vėžiu, sako, kad besikeičiančios CDC gairės jam kelia painiavą. Jis sako, kad vis dar planuoja imtis tų pačių atsargumo priemonių, kurių ėmėsi prieš sušvelninant gaires.

 

    „Vis tiek ketinu dėvėti savo kaukę, vis tiek laikysiuosi atokiai nuo žmonių, o mano šeima elgiasi taip pat, nes žino apie mano situaciją“, – sako Springfilde, Massachusetts valstijoje, gyvenantis ponas Wightas.

 

    Daugelis sveikų, paskiepytų žmonių labai nesijaudina dėl sunkaus Covid viruso, tačiau kai kurie nerimauja dėl ilgalaikių simptomų. Gydytojai teigia, kad geriausias būdas apsisaugoti nuo užsikrėtimo Covid, kuris pereina į ilgalaikę ligą, – visų pirma neužsikrėsti, todėl prasminga imtis atsargumo priemonių, pavyzdžiui, naudoti kaukes patalpose.

 

    Žmonėms, kurie susiduria su mažesne rizika ir yra mažiau susirūpinę dėl ilgalaikių komplikacijų, grįžimas į normalų gali būti svarbiausias dalykas. Daugelis tėvų džiaugėsi, kad per pastaruosius metus mokyklos sušvelnino griežtas atsargumo priemones.

 

    48 metų Kristen Magnuson, gyvenanti Bellevue, Vašingtone, turinti du vaikus vidurinėje mokykloje ir koledže, sveikino CDC žingsnį palengvinti karantino gaires.

 

    „Nemėgstu laikyti vaikų namuose, kai jie yra sveiki vien dėl to, kad jie buvo užkrėsti“, – sako ji. „Tai šioks toks palengvėjimas“.

 

    Nustatykite atsargumo priemones, kurių norite ir galite imtis

 

    Jei nesate tikri, kokių atsargumo priemonių imtis, niekada nepakenks apsisaugoti, sako Jonathanas Greinas, Cedars-Sinai medicinos centro ligoninės epidemiologijos direktorius.

 

    „Niekada nežinai, su kuo stovėsite ir kokie yra jų rizikos veiksniai“, – sako jis.

 

    CDC neberekomenduoja tikrinti besimptomių žmonių dėl viruso daugumoje atvejų, o tai, greičiausiai, bus palengvėjimas mokykloms ir įmonėms, kurios įgyvendino testavimo iki buvimo programas.

 

    Nepaisant naujų gairių, kai kurie gydytojai, įskaitant daktarą Bhuyaną, vis dar skatina pacientus reguliariai tikrintis, ypač prieš didelius renginius patalpose.

 

    Yra daugybė kitų atsargumo priemonių, kurias CDC ir toliau rekomenduoja. Agentūra teigia, kad žmonės, kurie buvo paveikti Covid, vis tiek turėtų įsitikinti, kad nesijaučia sergantys, po penkių dienų išsitirti ir 10 dienų dėvėti aukštos kokybės kaukes aplink kitus.

 

    CDC taip pat rekomenduoja izoliuotis bent penkias dienas, jei Covid testas yra teigiamas. 

 

Agentūra pataria visiems dėvėti kaukes uždarose viešosiose erdvėse, skirtose aukštam bendruomenės įsitraukimo lygiui. Ir vis dar rekomenduoja žmonėms dėvėti kaukes viešajame transporte, šalia didelės rizikos kontaktų arba jei jie buvo paveikti viruso.

 

    Būkite skaidrūs su kitais

 

    Jūsų rizikos tolerancija gali neatitikti jūsų draugo ar kaimyno. Sveikatos priežiūros paslaugų teikėjai rekomenduoja atvirai bendrauti su savo rato žmonėmis, kad jie turėtų galimybę priimti pagrįstus sprendimus.

 

    Jei planuojate susitikti su žmonėmis, kurių imunitetas nusilpęs arba kuriems yra didesnė rizika susirgti sunkia liga, gydytojai sako, kad būtų gera idėja pasikonsultuoti su jais dėl jų komforto lygio.

 

    „Jei aš eičiau vakarieniauti ir žinočiau, kad vakarienės metu žmonės yra ypač pažeidžiami, tikrai pagalvočiau apie tai, jei žinočiau, kad buvau užkrėsta“, – sako dr. Grein.

 

     55 metų Kristin Green, vidurinės mokyklos anglų kalbos mokytoja Orindžo apygardoje, Niujorke, sako, kad jau kurį laiką nebedėvi kaukės viešumoje, tačiau gerbia tuos, kurie tai renkasi. Dalyvaudama neseniai vykusiame Billy Joel koncerte lauke, ji sako pastebėjusi, kad keli žiūrovai netoliese dėvi kaukes.

 

     „Manau, kad aš nežinau kitų žmonių sveikatos padėties, nežinau jų asmeninių problemų, todėl būsiu mandagi“, – sako ji.” [1]

1.  How to Assess Your Covid-19 Risks As Guidelines Ease
Janin, Alex. 
Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 16 Aug 2022: A.9.

How to Assess Your Covid-19 Risks As Guidelines Ease

What will happen in twenty years to those who got sick with mild Covid-19 and have slightly damaged brain and heart tissue? No one knows because twenty years did not pass yet.

"The easing of federal Covid-19 guidelines places responsibility ever more squarely on individuals to determine their own risk tolerance and behaviors.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has dropped a recommendation to quarantine after Covid exposure regardless of vaccination status and de-emphasized social distancing. The new guidelines largely mirror what much of the U.S. population has already been doing as vaccines, prior infection and treatments have reduced the risk of severe disease even as the virus continues to circulate at high levels in much of the country.

Many employers hope the move will boost their return-to-work pushes. Many U.S. schools and colleges had already been eliminating Covid protocols as they prepare for students to return in the fall.

Yet people with weakened immune systems and other health complications can still face higher risks, while healthy people still often have higher-risk loved ones they want to protect.

The longer-term symptoms associated with long Covid such as brain fog and extreme fatigue can develop after even a mild infection. And the average case of Covid can still make otherwise healthy people feel pretty lousy.

"We are in that phase of the pandemic where every individual has to sit down and look at their risks and decide for themselves what is the right thing for them," says Abhijit Duggal, a pulmonologist at the Cleveland Clinic.

So how should you make decisions now as you go about your life? Here is what doctors advise.

Determine your risk profile

You don't have to be a transplant recipient or cancer patient to warrant continuing to take some precautions, including masking indoors. For example, a person who is pregnant or has asthma might want to continue being more careful, says Natasha Bhuyan, a Phoenix-based primary-care physician and regional medical director at One Medical.

Donald Wight, 60 years old, who has prostate cancer, says he has found the changing CDC guidelines confusing. He says he still plans to take the same precautions that he did before the guidelines eased.

"I'm still going to wear my mask, I'm still going to keep away from people, and my family is the same way because they know about my situation," says Mr. Wight, who lives in Springfield, Mass.

Many healthy, vaccinated people don't worry much about severe Covid, but some do have concerns about longer-term symptoms. The best way to prevent long Covid is to avoid being infected in the first place, so it makes sense for them to take precautions such as masking indoors, doctors say.

For people who face lower risks and are less concerned about longer-term complications, the value of getting back to normal might be paramount. Many parents have welcomed schools' relaxation of strict precautions over the past year.

Kristen Magnuson, 48, who lives in Bellevue, Wash., and has two children in high school and college, welcomed the CDC's move to ease quarantine guidelines.

"I'm not a fan of keeping kids home when they're healthy just because they were exposed," she says. "It is a bit of a relief."

Identify precautions you are willing and able to take

If you aren't sure what precautions to take, it never hurts to err on the side of caution, says Jonathan Grein, director of hospital epidemiology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

"You never know who you're going to be standing next to and what their risk factors are," he says.

The CDC no longer recommends testing asymptomatic people for the virus in most settings, which will likely come as a relief to schools and businesses that were implementing test-to-stay programs.

Despite the new guidelines, some doctors, including Dr. Bhuyan, still encourage patients to test regularly, especially before large indoor events.

There are plenty of other precautions that the CDC continues to recommend. People who have been exposed to Covid should still make sure they don't feel sick, get tested after five days and wear a high-quality mask around others for 10 days, the agency says.

The CDC also still recommends isolating for at least five days if you test positive for Covid. The agency advises that everyone wear a mask in indoor public spaces in areas designated as having high community levels. And it still recommends that people wear masks on public transportation, around high-risk contacts or if they have been exposed to the virus.

Be transparent with others

Your risk tolerance might not match that of your friend or neighbor. Health providers recommend communicating openly with the people in your circle to give them the opportunity to make their own informed decisions.

If you are planning to gather with people who are immunocompromised or at higher risk for severe disease, doctors say it is a good idea to consult with them about their comfort levels.

"If I was going to be going to dinner and I knew that people at the dinner party were particularly vulnerable, I would certainly think twice about it if I knew I had been exposed," says Dr. Grein.

Kristin Green, 55, a high-school English teacher in Orange County, N.Y., says she no longer wears a mask in public and hasn't for a while, but respects those who choose to do so. While attending a recent outdoor Billy Joel concert, she says, she noticed several audience members nearby wearing masks.

"I look at it as, I don't know other people's health situations, I don't know their private issues, so I'm going to be courteous," she says." [1]

1.  How to Assess Your Covid-19 Risks As Guidelines Ease
Janin, Alex. 
Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 16 Aug 2022: A.9.