justyourcalculatorMarriage Tax Calculator
Find out if marriage raises or lowers your federal income tax.
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Marriage Tax Calculator
Marriage penalty or bonus: single vs joint federal tax
401(k), HSA and similar.
Leave 0 to use the standard deduction.
When single, the higher earner claims them as head of household.
Marriage bonus
$1,350.00
less tax each year filing jointly
Filing separately as unmarried
- You (single)
- $8,770.00
- Partner (single)
- $2,620.00
- Total
- $11,390.00
Married filing jointly
- Taxable income
- $87,800.00
- Marginal rate
- 12%
- Total
- $10,040.00
2026 federal brackets and standard deductions (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32). Wage income only; state taxes and credits other than the Child Tax Credit are not included. Estimates for planning only, not financial advice.
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How the marriage tax calculator works
Married couples filing jointly get brackets and a standard deduction that are exactly double the single amounts up to the 32% bracket, so couples with similar incomes usually pay the same tax either way. Couples with very different incomes often get a bonus, because the lower earner's unused low brackets absorb part of the higher earner's income.
Penalties show up at high incomes (the 35% bracket for couples is not double the single one), and when an unmarried parent loses head-of-household status or credits by marrying.
Using and checking your result
Published by JustYourCalculator. Check the units and assumptions above, and compare a known example before relying on the output. Calculations use browser arithmetic and may round displayed values.
This is an educational estimate, not a lender quote, tax filing calculation or investment recommendation. Actual costs depend on current rules, fees and your circumstances. Verify important decisions with official sources and a qualified adviser.
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Primary references and further reading
Reference links help you check assumptions; they do not mean the publisher has reviewed or endorsed this calculator.