Marriage Penalty Tax

This book is an overview of issues associated with the marriage penalty. The first section explains how the marriage penalty (and the marriage bonus) arises and why it is not possible to achieve simultaneously the goals of marriage neutrality and horizontal equity across families in a progressive tax system. The second section discusses the size of the marriage penalty, the bonus and importantly, the notion that the marriage penalty is not a precisely defined measure. The next section outlines the issues of equity, efficiency and simplicity that are part of the frame work for evaluating policy and the final section discusses various legislative proposals in light of these objectives. The book also estimates the effects of current tax policies on families of different types and sizes and analyses proposals to address the marriage penalty and the child tax credit. It contains a history of the development of tax provisions affecting the family.

I. Marriage penalties and bonuses -- II. Sources of marriage penalties and bonuses -- III. Magnitudes of marriage penalties and bonuses -- IV. Labor market and demographic changes affecting marriage penalties and bonuses -- V. Reducing marriage penalties -- Appendix A. Tax treatment of married couples in other countries -- Appendix B. Treatment of married couples under state income taxes -- Appendix C. Characteristics of married and unmarried couples -- Appendix D. Additional supporting tables -- Appendix E. Sources of data -- Appendix F. Estimated marriage penalties and bonuses under a divorce model -- Appendix G. Income distribution of families -- Appendix H. Comparison of demographic changes for working-age couples and all married couples.