<prompt> Human: If filing separately, we could both claim 2,500 for a total of 5,000, but when you file jointly, it only lets you claim up to 2,500. Is this correct? It seems like getting married has become a tax burden, unless Im seeing larger breaks elsewhere.Edit: starting new thread, because this question has been answered and it is moving towards the question of: how to best mitigate tax burden when married filing jointly.Assistant: If filing separately, we could both claim 2,500 for a total of 5,000If your filing status is married filing separately, you cannot claim the student loan interest deduction at all.when you file jointly, it only lets you claim up to 2,500Correct. It seems like getting married has become a tax burdenThere are certain income combinations between a couple that will result in tax advantages to getting married, some that have no effect, and some that will be a detriment. Really depends on the particular situation of the couple. There are, of course, financial but non-tax advantages and disadvantages to getting married as well.Human: Thank you for the response. Yes, it looks like were in the difficult position. I was shocked because when I just enter my information, I get a refund, but when I enter both of our information, we owe thousands of dollars. Is our withholding wrong? We are married with no kids, so we both put 1 for withholding. Assistant: We are married with no kids, so we both put 1 for withholding.I would suggest you try the IRS withholding calculator Revisit it whenever you have a life event that can change your taxes like children, a second job, a raise, unemployment, etc. I was shocked because when I just enter my information, I get a refund, but when I enter both of our information, we owe thousands of dollars.Are you watching the What is my refund? feature that some of the software tax programs use? If so, stop doing that. It is a false comparison. Sort of like knowing that you pay half of the expenses of your household, combining the income for the whole household, subtracting out your half of the expenses and then being shocked at the lower number when you have to subtract your spouses expenses from your net total as well.Human: Thank you, the calculator says to put my withholding at 0, and we both have ours at 1. Im assuming this would account for the difference. I found the term marriage tax penalty, and that lead me to a number of articles on the issue. Apparently it is fairly common... I just assumed all of the limits doubled, so that if wed each get a return separately, wed get one together. I had this same job last year, and we received a refund, but my wife maybe doubled her income. But the amount gained by her doubling her income doesnt seem to scale with losing this amount of taxes.  <response>: so that if wed each get a return separately, wed get one togetherA refund is not a magical thing that just appears based on unknown factors. It simply means your employer withheld more money than was needed to meet your tax burden. 