Despite Congressional attempts to ease the tax burden on married couples, many newlyweds stumble upon the so-called “marriage tax” the first time they attempt to complete their 1040 forms after the wedding. Although the government does not explicitly tax married couples, tax laws tend to provide stronger relief to unmarried individuals than to spouses who earn similar incomes.

Because the Internal Revenue Service calculates tax based on household income, a couple with dual incomes could inadvertently push themselves into a higher tax bracket than they would be charged it if they remained single. In a handful of cases, some couples choose to live together and remain unmarried, rather than bear the extra financial burden.

To combat the effects of the marriage tax, experts recommend that you maximize your itemized deductions whenever possible. Talk with your own financial planner or tax expert about putting some of these ideas to work for you: