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Comment by nawtacawp | Hacker News Reader

The military has this system. A married service member gets paid more than a single service member. The idea is that the single soldier has less requirements for housing.

I’m not stating whether I agree or disagree. Just pointing out a similar system already in place.

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Yes, but the military is not your start-up. Society will also give couples with kids tax breaks, which will already widen the gap in net income between two otherwise equally salaried co-founders, I really see no reason to artificially widen that gap.

BTW in almost all situations that I've been in where this would have mattered I was the one with the children.

Daycare cost for one child where I am is $15000 after tax dollars, not including child cost. Add other necessarily child costs and that number goes up. Grown ups might go on ramen diet to build a business but their children can't afford to.

Yeah it makea perfect sense to model your startup after some massive government organisation.

They get paid a housing allowance, but their base salary isn't higher. The single soldiers live in a dorm that they aren't charged for.

Granted, the dorm isn't great, but it's not a straight salary difference.

Receiving a housing allowance sounds like more pay to me. Is there a requirement that states the service member must utilize all of the allowance on housing? Could they chose to live under their allowance? Doesn’t sound like the single service member has the same choice. What if two service members marry each other, do they both get a housing allowance?

The housing allowance varies, but typically, it's below what the actual costs are. Varies by location.

Dorm residents don't pay for the room or food, if they choose to eat at the mess hall. They also usually get free use of washing machines, a common room with TV, etc.

Basically, it varies. In some locations the married soldier might be better off. In others they aren't. Either way, the difference isn't striking.

You also give up the housing allowance if you live in base housing as a married couple. These units are typically pretty modest.

There are, of course, exceptions. Areas where single soldiers get a housing allowance because no barrack exists. And areas where the married allowance is higher than it should be, for various reasons.

The point is, though, that it's not a direct comparison to the story. The single founders didn't get a compensating free room and board.

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