How does getting married mid-year affect my taxes in 2025?

Your marital status on December 31 determines your filing status for the entire year. If you get married on any day from January 1 through December 31, you are considered married for the full tax year. You cannot file as single for the months before your wedding.

Filing options when married:

• Married Filing Jointly (MFJ): Usually the better option. You combine income and deductions on one return. The standard deduction for 2024 is $29,200, and the tax brackets are wider, reducing your overall tax rate in most cases. Both spouses are jointly liable for the tax.
• Married Filing Separately (MFS): Each spouse files their own return. The standard deduction drops to $14,600 each. MFS disqualifies you from many credits (EITC, education credits, adoption credit) and reduces the student loan interest deduction to zero. However, MFS can help in specific situations like income-driven student loan repayment, medical expense deductions (7.5% AGI floor is lower on one income), or when one spouse has tax debt.

The "marriage penalty" vs. "marriage bonus": A marriage bonus occurs when one spouse earns significantly more than the other. A marriage penalty can happen when both spouses earn similar high incomes, pushing combined income into higher brackets. Run your returns both ways to compare.

Things to do after getting married: Update your name with the Social Security Administration (your SSN must match the name on your return). Review and update your W-4 withholding at work. Update beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and insurance.