The 9 biggest money-related reasons people get married

The standard deduction is the dollar figure you can subtract from your earnings before income tax is applied, assuming you don't itemize your deductions.

"As with larger tax brackets, married couples also enjoy twice the size of standard deduction as single filers," Adams said.

The standard deduction for married couples filing jointly is $24,400 for the 2019 tax year, compared to $12,200 for single individuals.

If you know how to play the game, you can effectively double your credit card rewards points or miles.

Brooklyn Lowery, a senior manager with CardRatings.com, told Business Insider that married couples can start with separate credit cards to take advantage of welcome bonuses, then combine their accounts to pool their rewards points.

"For instance, if you're interested in travel rewards, perhaps one of you applies for Chase Sapphire Preferred while the other applies for Chase Freedom," Lowery said. "Both cards earn rewards in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points, so you can then combine your earnings under a single account."

Additionally, people with less-than-stellar credit can begin to build their credit score by being added to a well-qualified partner's account.

When you sell a house, you pay taxes on the profits from the sale. If you're married, you have more of a shield against how much you're required to shell out to the government.

"Being married while selling a home that has appreciated in value can be the difference between paying thousands of dollars in taxes and walking away from the closing without Uncle Sam tapping your shoulder to ask for his cut," Adams said.

Married couples can exclude up to $500,000 of gains realized on their residence from taxation if they've lived in the property for at least two of the last five years. Filers who are single or married filing separately can only exclude $250,000 of gains.

When you say 'I do,' you reap the benefits of an economic concept known as the economy of scale. The concept says that as the scale of an operation increases, the cost per item decreases.

Think of your household like a business operation. If you combine it with your partner's, expenses that were once shouldered by both parties — rent, utilities, household staples like dish soap — are shared, and thus become less costly per person.

One of the major financial benefits of getting hitched is broadening your healthcare options. If one partner is self-employed or doesn't work outside the home, he or she may be able to secure much more affordable coverage through their spouse's employer than on the open market.

Leslie Tayne, a financial attorney, said that even when both partners have employer-sponsored coverage, one is likely better or more affordable than the other.

"If both partners work for employers that offer health insurance, you'll have more choices and can find the option that suits your family best and is most cost-effective," Tayne said.

And the benefits extend beyond health insurance. On average, married couples spend 6% less per year on car insurance. Homeowners insurance can be cheaper for couples, too.

For those who get married later in life, combining finances can be more complicated since each party brings several decades' worth of financial considerations to the relationship. Luckily, Tayne said, marriage comes with many monetary benefits for people of retirement age.

"You can opt to collect a Social Security payment equal to 50% of your spouse's payout in place of yours, even if it's more than you would be receiving on your own," she said. "You can also delay collecting your own benefits and collect the spousal payment to maximize your own payout."

If one spouse qualifies for free Medicare Part A coverage and the other does not, the non-qualified spouse may be able to use the other's Medicare Part A benefits. Once you've been married for a year, you're also entitled to other spousal benefits like disability and survivor benefits.

With two people contributing resources to the household, more options are on the table when it comes to each partner's career.

Let's say you're unhappy with your job. Relationship therapist Diane Strachowski said being married may give you more flexibility to go to back to school or change careers thanks to the cushion of your partner's income. The same goes for starting a family.

"You can decide which partner has the better earning capacity and who is a best fit for staying home or working part time," Starchowski said.

"As a married couple you can take turns as well. Say one person is focused on their career. Once their career is launched, the other can then have a turn. Being married offers more flexibility as a distinct advantage."

Not all money-related reasons for getting married are strictly about dollars and cents. Strachowski said there's a psychological component that comes into play when you feel financially secure in your marriage.

"Married people often feel more responsibility because someone is relying on them, but they also feel more support," Strachowski said. "As a result, you are more willing to take risks in your career and with your finances."

That might translate into the confidence to ask for a raise you deserve or start the new business you've been dreaming of.