All taxpayers are not created equal.

In every year’s Singapore Budget or National Day Rally, the media will feature a low-income or middle-class family, highlighting ‘what he and his family will get’ or ‘how she and her family will be benefited’.

But no one bothers to interview singles like us. Because we don’t get anything anyway.

Why do they have to penalize singles when it comes to income tax? We are not eligible for the spouse and parent tax reliefs, but get restrictions instead when buying HDB flats. We don’t take any cash bonus, baby gift, marriage benefit, childcare leave or insurance coverage for dependents. Still, we pay the highest tax among taxpayers in the same income group.

I guess this is the price to pay for being single. It happens in any country.

As a single who is neither a low-income worker nor an elderly, I don’t look at ...