Can couples married in 2016 file jointly? I have heard in Ohio there is a marriage penalty, so I'm not sure if I should do that or if we are even eligible.

If I was married in August of 2016 and only married the last half of the year, am I still eligible to file jointly?  I am not sure if we even should because I have heard there is a marriage penalty in Ohio.  But are we eligible to file jointly anyway if we were only married a few months of 2016?