[quote=UCGal]
The tax codes are a mess and confuse things.
[/quote]
Very true. But inefficient implementation does not detract from my point which is the intent.
[quote]
There are many people who are single parents – some are widows/widowers (no moral issue of why they’re single). Are you saying the tax code makes an exception for them?
[/quote]
Of course not. Maybe it should, maybe it shouldn’t. The code was merely supposed to incentivize a lifestyle which on average, the government thought (perhaps naively or ignorantly) would better society.
[quote]
As to your question… I can see making the taxcodes based on members of households, but not marital status. I don’t see any reason why a 5 person family (2 adults, 3 kids) should pay different tax rates based on whether the adults are married. Tax rates should be based on household income and number of people in the household. But… it will never happen.[/quote]
The thinking was that the children of the married couples will on average have better societal outcomes than those with single parents. Anyway, at least the federal child tax credit is blind to marital status.
