Monday Map: Does Your State Have a Marriage Penalty? August 20, 2012 Nick Kasprak Nick Kasprak Today's Monday Map looks at the "marriage penalty" aspect of state income tax systems. In a progressive tax system, higher incomes are taxed at higher rates, and in states where the same tax brackets apply to both single and married filers, the effective tax rate on the combined income of two earners can be significantly more than if the two incomes were taxed separately. In 2011, sixteen states had some form of marriage penalty in their income tax system. Click on the map to enlarge it. View previous Monday Maps here. Stay informed on the tax policies impacting you. Subscribe to get insights from our trusted experts delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe Share Tweet Share Email Topics Center for State Tax Policy Data Individual Income and Payroll Taxes