Marriage Tax Calculator
Calculate the marriage tax penalty or bonus — whether filing jointly as a married couple saves or costs you more taxes.
Input Parameters
Results
Marriage Tax Bonus or Penalty?
A marriage tax penalty occurs when a married couple pays more tax combined than they would as two single filers. It typically occurs when both spouses have similar high incomes. A marriage bonus occurs when one spouse earns significantly more.
What is the Marriage Tax Calculator?
The Marriage Tax Calculator determines whether tying the knot will result in a "Marriage Penalty" (paying more taxes together than you did apart) or a "Marriage Bonus" (saving money on taxes by filing jointly).
How It Works (Algorithm)
The US Tax Code features progressive tax brackets. When two high earners marry, combining their incomes can push their joint salary into a much higher tax bracket, causing a penalty. Conversely, if one spouse earns significantly more than the other, the joint brackets provide a tax bonus.
$$ \text{Penalty} = \text{Joint Tax} - (\text{Single Tax A} + \text{Single Tax B}) $$
A positive number means marriage costs you more in taxes.
How to Use It
Enter Partner A's annual income and Partner B's annual income. The calculator will run two simulations based on current IRS brackets: one as "Single, Filing Separately" and one as "Married, Filing Jointly". It will then reveal your penalty or bonus.