That's another issue. A two earner household, or even a single earner household of a married couple, while MFJ, not only gets double the standard deduction of a single filer, the couple also pays taxes at a lower percentage up to a much higher income where the single person's tax increases to the next tax bracket at a much lower threshold. So, there's a double benefit that. Having kids on top of it really brings the tax burden down for MFJ.
Depending on the income level used in the simulation, marrying an able bodied but unemployed spouse gives people a much LARGER decrease in their taxes than supporting even 2-3 children.
Yes, as expected based on the standard deduction and tax tables with double the threshold to the next bracket.
If your problem is specifically with people having children, wouldn't it be more accurate to compare either a single person to a single parent, or a married couple without children to a married couple with children?
I keep trying to make this clear, but I don't have a problem with people having children. I'm just making some comments here about the fairness, or lack there-of, of the tax system in regards to families vs. single people. That's why I compared those specifically. I think the difference is most remarkable with that comparison as well. If I look around, it's mostly married couples that have kids, not to say that there aren't many singles who have them as well. I could post more comparisons for taxes paid in different scenarios, such as 1 vs. 2 kids, married vs. single parents, etc. but I'm trying to keep it brief. It also gets more complicated when you start looking at lower incomes and EIC as well, which is why I chose the $70K figure.
then the main consolation I can offer is that in another ten years or less,* you'll be able to draw social security and income from qualified dividends and capital gains and pay dramatically lower federal income tax rates than the folks who are still working with the same pre-tax household income level as you yet paying a great deal more in income and payroll taxes to subsidize your retirement.
Just checked my FIRE planning spreadsheet, and it's 2034 for my SS, just over 16 years away for me. I have mentioned that before, but after paying into it all these years, it's only fair that I get a distribution from the system when I'm eligible. There will likely be cuts to benefits by then, but hopefully they won't be too excessive, and it helps secure a solid 100% in cFireSim and Rich, Broke, or Dead. However, during the first 15 years of FIRE, I'm planning for $24/yr MAGI. So, I'll actually still be paying more federal income tax than the family or couple making the same pre-tax household income as me, not that I'm complaining, at least I won't be paying so much myself at that point.
It's not worth losing sleep over (or posting about over and over again in multiple forum threads).
I can assure you that I'm not losing sleep over this. I had a cup of coffee late this afternoon, so I might be affected by that. I've had my whole life to adjust to this tax concept. When I've brought it up, the traditional response is, "kids are expensive." Yeah, a lot of things are expensive. I bought an expensive house, and I ended up just paying more taxes!
I only bring this up in threads where it's relevant. This thread was right on topic prior to me posting. Most people aren't aware of the massive difference in tax burden between different households with the same income.