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What if? · Marriage

Would marriage save you money?

Plug in your future spouse’s salary. We’ll show you whether filing jointly would cut your household’s tax bill (a marriage bonus) or grow it (a marriage penalty) compared to staying single.

Your inputs

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$
Marriage bonus$650/yearAbout $54/month more in your household budget.

Your household would save $650/year in federal taxes by filing jointly vs. each filing separately.

Tax year 2026 · Assumes W-2 wages, standard deduction

$
You filing singleIncome $100,000$20,820Federal income + payroll
Spouse filing singleIncome $60,000$9,610Federal income + payroll
Both filing jointlyIncome $160,000$29,780Federal income + payroll

Who benefits more?

You’re the higher earner. Most of the savings come from your income — joint brackets are wider, so some of your higher-bracket dollars get taxed at lower rates than they would if you filed solo.

Why this changes so much

  • If your spouse earns much less: marriage usually lowers your taxes.
  • If you both earn similar amounts: your taxes stay about the same.
  • If your spouse earns much more than you: marriage usually lowers taxes too, sometimes by a lot.
  • If you’re both very high earners: marriage can raise your combined tax bill.

How this works

We run two tax bills. Solo: each of you files your own return on your own salary. Joint: you combine your salaries on one return with the larger standard deduction for married couples. The difference is the marriage bonus (joint costs less, you save by marrying) or penalty (joint costs more).

Joint tax brackets are larger than single brackets, which can reduce taxes when one spouse earns much more than the other. When both spouses are already high earners, combining incomes can push the household into higher brackets than either would hit alone — that’s the penalty side.

Estimates only, for educational purposes. Federal taxes only. The calculator does not model state or local income tax, the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT), itemized deductions beyond the standard deduction, the QBI deduction, catch-up retirement contributions, HSA/FSA contributions, employer 401(k) match, self-employment tax, Roth conversions, multiple jobs, or phase-outs of credits and deductions. Not tax, legal, or financial advice. Consult a qualified tax professional before making any decision based on these numbers. Full terms →