💒 Marriage Tax Calculator
Married couples in the US can file one joint return or two separate returns, and the cheaper option is not always obvious. This calculator runs both of your incomes through simplified 2024 federal tax brackets each way, so you can see the combined bill side by side.
This is a simplified comparison: it taxes the full incomes with no standard deduction, credits, or state taxes. Use it to gauge the direction and size of the difference, then confirm with a full tax return.
How to use this calculator
Enter both spouses' incomes to compare the combined US federal tax bill when filing jointly versus filing separately, using simplified 2024 brackets.
- Type the First income and the Second income as annual amounts.
- The calculator runs the total through the joint brackets and each income through the single brackets.
- Press Calculate to see the combined tax each way.
- Read the savings line to find which filing status costs you less.
Frequently asked questions
What does this calculator compare?
It computes the combined federal income tax for two incomes filed jointly, using the 2024 joint brackets, and compares it with the sum of two separate single returns using the 2024 single brackets.
What is a worked example?
With incomes of $120,000 and $20,000, the joint tax is about $20,906 while two separate returns total about $24,011, so filing jointly saves roughly $3,105.
Why would filing separately ever win?
It can win when one spouse has large itemized deductions or income-based student loan payments, though under these simplified brackets joint filing usually wins when incomes differ a lot.
What is left out of this comparison?
The standard deduction, tax credits, state taxes, and special rules like the marriage penalty details are not included, so treat this as a directional estimate, not a filed return.