“I am hard-pressed to think of anything worse than penalizing the institution of marriage,” Representative Jones stated. “Nearly 58,000 married couples in the Third District of North Carolina alone are forced to pay the federal government more in taxes simply because they are married.”

Under the current tax code, the Internal Revenue Services treats married couples as a single unit by taxing their combined income and forcing them into a higher tax bracket than if they filed separately. H.R. 4810, the Marriage Penalty Tax Elimination Reconciliation Act, would lessen the impact of the marriage penalty by increasing the standard deduction for married couples, expanding the 15 percent tax bracket for joint filers, and increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit. 

“For families who are struggling to make ends meet, this relief can be used to help pay bills, invest for education, save for a new home, or pay for needed car repairs,” Jones said. “Congress needs to eliminate this immoral tax and I can assure you that it will be a top priority early next year under a new White House Administration.”