Your wedding is over, and the day was perfect. You went away on your honeymoon with your new spouse and had the time of your lives. Now you are back in the real world juggling the responsibilities of everyday life. One of those responsibilities includes ensuring that your legal and financial affairs accurately reflect your new marital status.

What To Do After the Honeymoon

As you start living happily ever after, make sure to attend to these post-honeymoon to-dos during the first few days or weeks after your wedding:

• Meet with a knowledgeable estate planning attorney to discuss the creation of a will or trust, or to update one from before you got married;
• Review and update your medical proxy documents (sometimes known as a “healthcare power of attorney”) and provide copies to your necessary doctors’ offices;
• Check and update beneficiary designations on any life insurance policies, 401(k)s, IRAs, annuities, and other investment accounts;
• Seek advice from your tax preparer about whether or not you should adjust your withholdings to reflect your new marital status;
• Obtain life insurance, if you do not already have coverage, and designate a beneficiary and a contingent beneficiary;
• If you have or are planning to move, notify your auto insurer, banks, employer, and anyone else of your new address;
• Add your spouse to your group health and/or dental insurance policy, if necessary; and
• Change ownership of real property, if you choose to, to reflect your marital status.

In addition to the above, if you decide to legally change your name make sure to notify the following institutions:

• Schools;
• Employer(s);
• Department of Motor Vehicles;
• Creditors and debtors;
• Social Security Administration;
• Passport office;
• Insurance agencies;
• State taxing authorities;
• Telephone and utility companies;
• Banks and financial institutions; and
• Government benefit offices.

Contact an Experienced Estate Planning Attorney

We are here to help guide you through the estate planning process and to make sure that the financial and legal aspects of your life correctly reflect your new marital status. Contact us today to learn about how we can help you enjoy your wedded bliss with financial and legal peace of mind.