> In a way, it's a prosperity tax as well as a
marriage penalty--people at the lower income
ranges of each tax bracket wouldn't have
enough combined income to make a
difference (and would benefit from filing
jointly); it's only those at the mid-to-higher
ends of each range that are effected.

That would explain why in our particular case,
it was better to file jointly. Our first year
together, I worked for a ministry and didn't
make a very impressive salary, and my wife
worked, but it was in a daycare and she got
paid peanuts. So we probably weren't
anywhere close to the next higher tax bracket.

> koala"nice to have an accountant in the
family"mom

Amen to that.

Gri"one of these days I'll have my dad show
me how to do it"shny