How Getting Married Affects Your Paycheck Withholding
Getting married changes more than your filing status on paper — it can meaningfully change your paycheck, depending on how you and your spouse each earn. Here's what actually happens once you update your W-4. The first step: updating your W-4 Marriage doesn't automatically change your withholding — you have to submit a new W-4 to your employer selecting "Married filing jointly" (or "Married filing separately," in less common cases) instead of "Single." Until you do, your employer keeps withholding at your old, single rate. Why married filing jointly usually lowers withholding The married filing jointly standard deduction ($32,200 for 2026) is exactly double the single deduction ($16,100), and the tax brackets are also roughly double-width compared to single brackets — at least up through the mid-range brackets. If you're the only earner in the household, switching to married filing jointly typically reduces your withholding, since more ...