Is there still a marriage penalty?

[wnlbutterfly]

You could always have a ceremony (if the church allowed it), and not do the legal paperwork I suppose. Although a LOT of states have civil unions where by just living together or giving the appearance to others as man and wife can legally make you married.

I have a cousin that told everyone she and her BF got married at justice of the peace, yet they never file MFJ, they both file separately, one as single and one as HH. We don't have a clue if she really is married, but I somehow doubt it. IRS doesn't require proof and stuff like this falls through the cracks all the time.

If she is getting aid from the state they usually have programs/funding to help people get their GED. And yes, I do know several people that didn't graduate HS but they are working.

[wincrasher]

I've never understood the "marriage penalty" as far as tax treatment goes. Now there is a singles penalty. That pendulum is swings back and forth.

Some would argue that families put a greater burden on our communities and the social services than single adults and should therefore have a greater burden tax wise. But our political system wants to promote family life (as seen on 1950's TV shows) and has structured the tax code accordingly.

[KTP]

I've never understood the "marriage penalty" as far as tax treatment goes. Now there is a singles penalty. That pendulum is swings back and forth.

Some would argue that families put a greater burden on our communities and the social services than single adults and should therefore have a greater burden tax wise. But our political system wants to promote family life (as seen on 1950's TV shows) and has structured the tax code accordingly.

This is so false! I mean yes, families WITH children (especially octomom types) put a huge burden on our communities but the tax system also gives them many breaks via deductions per child and other credits. Those of us who are married but choose not to have kids are the least burden on our community (we carpool, don't have kids using the public school system, daycare, etc, use fewer utilities than 2 single people, etc). And yet, because we do not have kids we end up paying the most.

[wincrasher]

No you don't KTP.

Single people pay more in taxes. Some have argued above that spouses with disparate incomes, the spouse earning less can have a greater marginal burden. But together, their burden is less.