Marriage and Taxes: Understanding the Penalties

Dr. Friday discusses how marriage can impact your taxes, including penalties on capital gains, child tax credits, and educational savings. She highlights why understanding these tax rules is important before making financial decisions. Transcript: G’day, I’m Dr. Friday, president of Dr. Friday’s Tax and Financial Firm. To get more info, go to www.drfriday.com. This is a one-minute moment. Happy Valentine’s Day! And for some of you, maybe even an anniversary. That being said, let’s think a little bit about getting married and how the tax law doesn’t necessarily reward individuals who are married. There are a lot of marriage penalties. Look at capital gains—if I’m single, I have $200,000. If I’m married, I only get $250,000. Also, keep in mind child tax credits if your income is too high. So when you’re thinking about Valentine’s, your sweetheart, and being smart about your money, consider what kind of tax advantage it may be to stay single or file as head of household. If you need help, call 615-367-0819. You can catch the Dr. Friday Call-In Show live every Saturday afternoon from 2 to 3 p.m. right here on 99.7 WTN.