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No, it is not double. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reduced the marriage penalty quite a bit due to broadening the tax brackets. It is still there, especially for very high earners, but not noticeable for the vast majority.

https://www.bakerinstitute.org/sites/default/files/2019-03/i...

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Surely $600K as a couple income is even on the top endz even in tech. So, for most normal couples like where one earns $300K and the other $100K, filing as a married couple is better, no?

Or am I misunderstanding something

I think I misunderstood you, and did not realize tax slab meant tax bracket, as assumed you meant the US doubles the tax liability if you are filling married joint.

[assuming United States for everything here, in case it wasn't obvious]

In addition to the brackets, there's tons of other deductions, exemptions, etc that are higher or double for married-filing-jointly tax returns.

Just one example is the capital gains on selling your home: if you're filing singly you get an exemption on the first $250k of capital gains, but if you're married and filing jointly that exemption is on the first $500k of gains.

home mortgage interest is another big one. Interest 375 is deductive if single, 750k if married. Property taxes deductions are similar.

A combined $400k is not remotely normal income.

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