Steve Skutnik’s letter posing the idea of removing “special tax status” for married couples would make a lot more sense if it weren’t for the fact that you are penalized for being married.

Wake up, dude!

Take a look at a 1040 form: the standard deduction for a married couple filing jointly is a lot less than twice the standard deduction for single people.

This is widely known as the “marriage penalty.”

If Congress doesn’t change it before then, you’ll be bitchin’ about it big time when or if you get married.

You won’t be basking in your “special status.”

Maybe it’s Uncle Sam’s way of asking you to think twice before taking the plunge.

Rich Scharf

SC Dept. of Natural Resources

Columbia, SC