Linq to XML single or default - asp.net

Question

I am querying an xml and i am storing the results using singleordefault
var query = from nm in xelement.Descendants("EmployeeFinance")
where (int)nm.Element("EmpPersonal_Id") == empID
select new AllowancePaid
{
gradeTaxId = nm.Element("Allow-GradeTax").Elements("Amount").Attributes("BenListId").Select(a => (int)a).ToList(),
gradeTaxAmt = nm.Element("Allow-GradeTax").Elements("Amount").Select(a => (double)a).ToList()
};
Debug.WriteLine("2");
var resultquery = query.SingleOrDefault();
now this line: var resultquery = query.SingleOrDefault(); works fine if it found in the xml file. However, i have a case where my query will result in a null. If i have no value, it would make an entry in the xml file and my query obviously results in null. My question is how do i cater for this without causing my programe to crash. obviously, singleordefault() doesnt work.
***************** EDITED *************************
I read what everyone said so far and it make sense but i am still having a problem.
if (query.Count() == 0)
{
Debug.WriteLine("NULL");
}
else {
var resultquery = query.SingleOrDefault();
Debug.WriteLine("NOT NULL");
}
OR
if (query == null)
{
Debug.WriteLine("NULL");
}
else {
var resultquery = query.SingleOrDefault();
Debug.WriteLine("NOT NULL");
}
OR
var resultquery = query.SingleOrDefault();
if (resultquery == null)
{
Debug.WriteLine("NULL Result");
}
else
{
Debug.WriteLine("NOT NULL");
}
I am getting a System.NullReferenceException error when the first part of the if statement is true. One user said to do this: var resultquery = query.SingleOrDefault(); then use my if..else statement to do the comparison. However i am getting the error at the point of assign query.singleofdefault() to resultquery. So i am lost.. hope someone can help. thank you

Answer 1

what i am trying to understand is this. the documentation states if the result query is 0 it will give a default value, if it is not, it will be a single value. so why doesnt this give a default value? [taken from the comments]
null is the default value for reference types. Apparently AllowancePaid is a reference type (a custom class).

Answer 2

What is the value you want when the there is no value found.
You could either do:
if (resultquery == null) {
// Logic for No result
} else {
// Logic for result found
}
Or you could force a default value
eg.
var resultquery = query.SingleOrDefault() ?? new AllowancePaid();
UPDATE
From the comments posted it appears that the null reference exception is actually caused within the query itself rather than by the assignment to resultquery and use of later.
This updated query should solve the issue
var query = from nm in xelement.Descendants("EmployeeFinance")
where nm.Element("EmpPersonal_Id") != null
&& (int)nm.Element("EmpPersonal_Id") == empID
&& nm.Element("Allow-GradeTax") != null
&& nm.Element("Allow-GradeTax").Elements("Amount") != null
select new AllowancePaid
{
gradeTaxId = nm.Element("Allow-GradeTax").Elements("Amount").Attributes("BenListId").Select(a => (int)a).ToList(),
gradeTaxAmt = nm.Element("Allow-GradeTax").Elements("Amount").Select(a => (double)a).ToList()
};
var resultquery = query.SingleOrDefault();
if (resultquery == null) {
Debug.WriteLine("NULL Result");
} else {
// Logic here
}