Marriage is bliss, but maybe not at tax time in these 18 states

Marriage usually brings excitement and happiness to someone’s life, but in certain states, it can also bring a tax penalty. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 eliminated the marriage penalty on income tax for all but those Americans in the highest tax bracket on a federal level by doubling the single filer amount for joint filers. But investing research platform BestBrokers found 18 states that still carried a “marriage penalty” in 2025. Couples filing jointly in those states face higher taxes than if they ...