Money talks at the Economist, and the talk in this item from May, which has just been brought to our attention, is that in most of the developed world it pays to be married with children. That is because most governments offer some form of tax breaks or cash benefits to offset the cost of bringing up children.

In all but one of the 30 OECD countries, a married, one-earner couple with two children takes home more money than a single person with no children on the same annual salary. On that basis, the best countries for families are Ireland or the Czech Republic, where “net” incomes end up higher than gross. Mexico is the only OECD country where married couples with children get no breaks at all.

Lots of comments on this article, including the expected quota of moans about the cost of children, and from pessimists who think the planet is overburdened and could do with fewer children.~ Hat tip to Trent Thomas.