Marriage Tax Penalty / Bonus Calculator (2026)
Compare filing as two singles vs. married filing jointly to reveal the penalty (or bonus) at 2026 brackets.
Inputs
How it works
We compute federal tax on each partner as single (with the $16,100 std deduction) and again on the combined income as MFJ (with the $32,200 std deduction). The gap is the penalty or bonus.
Frequently asked questions
Are these amounts an exact tax bill?
No. They use verified 2026 IRS/SSA figures but ignore credits, phase-outs and AMT. Use tax software or a CPA to file.
Marginal vs effective rate?
Marginal is the rate on your next dollar. Effective is total tax ÷ taxable income — always lower because earlier brackets fill first.
Standard or itemized?
Take whichever is larger. 2026 standard deduction: Single $16,100 · MFJ $32,200 · HoH $24,150 · MFS $16,100.
How is state tax handled?
Eight states impose no income tax. The rest are approximated at their top rate — see your state's brackets for a precise figure.