# marriage penalty

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/marriage-penalty
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A situation where a married couple pays more in taxes, typically income taxes, when filing jointly, than the two individuals would pay if filing as singles separately.

## Examples

- They pay a marriage penalty because of their combined income.
- The couple discovered that filing their taxes together resulted in a marriage penalty, so they calculated the difference carefully.
- Financial analysts often debate whether the current tax code unfairly imposes a marriage penalty on dual-income households, potentially discouraging legal unions for tax-conscious partners.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.