Rep. John Kasich (R-OH) announced that he will propose eliminating or lessening the “marriage tax penalty” at a cost of $50-100 billion over a five-year period.
The “marriage tax penalty” refers to the higher income taxes some married people pay compared to what they would pay if they were single. In general, married people have an unfair tax advantage over single people because more of their income is taxed at a lower rate, but there are a few exceptions. Married couples usually pay more when two spouses have similar incomes and file a joint return. Also, the standard deduction granted to single individuals is more than half that granted to married couples.
A briefing paper released by House Democrats contests the fact that married couples are overtaxed. Congressional Budget Office data show that the number of people who save tax money through marriage exceeds the number who are penalized by it.
