<prompt> Human: I would make say 90,000 or 100,000 and she made 160,000-150,000. If I understand basic tax laws, if a combined income makes above 250,000 then they are considered upper class and receive more taxes and less tax breaks. Would it be beneficial for me to never get married, on government paper legally married, and file taxes as a single person?Would anything change if children were involved, say two children?  <response>: From the strictly income tax perspective for that year, you would be better off as single. However, marriage has so many other perks, especially when it comes to inheritance, legal protections etc, where the small saving on income taxes would absolutely not be worth it. 