This is the first comprehensive scholarly effort to determine the cost to the taxpayers from the fragmentation of the family in the U.S. Its conservative estimate is at least $112 billion annually. Some of the factors leading to increased divorce and unwed parenting result in a changing perception and understanding of the social institution of marriage. The loss of the “social goods” from marriage is largely what is costing these tax dollars. But these negative influences on the institution are minor compared to the radical redefinition of the social institution that would result from legalizing same-sex marriage.  We can reasonably expect that the costs from such an action would be much greater.