Marriage Tax Calculator
See if getting married raises or lowers your combined tax bill.
Filing Scenario Comparison
| Item | Both Single | Married Jointly | Married Separately |
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Official Tax Rate Sources
This calculator provides estimates only. It uses the standard deduction and does not account for itemized deductions, tax credits, local/city taxes, or other adjustments. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation. U.S. federal and state taxes only.
This tool is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional financial, medical, legal, or engineering advice. See Terms of Service.
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Request a ToolHow to Use the Marriage Tax Calculator
This calculator compares three scenarios to show whether marriage increases or decreases your combined tax bill:
- Enter each person's income. This should be their individual wage income.
- Review the comparison. The calculator shows total taxes for three scenarios: both filing as single, married filing jointly, and married filing separately.
- Check the verdict. If married filing jointly costs less than both filing single, you have a marriage bonus. If it costs more, you have a marriage penalty.
About the Marriage Penalty and Bonus
The marriage penalty occurs when a married couple filing jointly pays more in tax than they would if each filed as a single person. This tends to happen when both spouses earn similar incomes, because combined income pushes more earnings into higher brackets. A marriage bonus occurs when one spouse earns significantly more, because the lower-earning spouse's income fills up the lower brackets that would have been "wasted" if the higher earner filed alone.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (made permanent by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) reduced the marriage penalty by doubling most bracket thresholds for married filers. However, the 35% and 37% brackets are still not exactly double, so very high-income couples may still see a penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the marriage penalty happen?
The marriage penalty is most likely when both spouses have similar incomes. The combined income pushes more money into higher tax brackets than if each person filed separately. High-income couples are especially affected because the 35% and 37% brackets for married filers are not exactly double the single thresholds.
Is married filing separately better?
Rarely. Married filing separately usually results in higher taxes than filing jointly because the brackets are narrower and you lose access to many credits and deductions. However, it can help in specific situations such as income-based student loan repayment or when one spouse has large medical expenses.
Does the marriage penalty affect state taxes too?
It depends on the state. Some states have married brackets that are exactly double the single brackets (no penalty). Others have brackets that create an additional state-level marriage penalty. States with flat tax rates or no income tax have no marriage penalty for state taxes.