“Rather than helping our families save and invest for the future, the government punishes working couples for doing what is right.  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 house, or pay for needed car repairs.  And it provides the greatest relief to our low and middle-income families who need it the most,” Jones said.

Each year the Internal Revenue Service punishes married couples by forcing them into a higher tax bracket than if they filed independently. While the current tax burden on the American public stands at approximately 38 percent, the secondary income under the marriage penalty can be taxed at a rate as high as 50 percent.  The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the greatest marriage penalties occur with primary wage-earners who make between $20,000 and $75,000 thousand dollars.

Congressman Walter B. Jones is a co-sponsor the of the Marriage Tax Penalty Relief Act.