Your wedding is over, and the day was absolutely perfect. You went away on your honeymoon with your new spouse and had the time of your lives. Now you are back and can breathe a sigh of relief and watch the rest of the years ahead unfold before your eyes. Well, not so fast. Now that your honeymoon is over, there are several things you should be mindful of to make sure that the legal and financial parts of your life properly reflect your newly married 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 even weeks) after your wedding. This will help you enjoy the memories of your wedding and honeymoon for years to come. The following Georgia estate planning checklist can serve as a reminder of some, but not all, of the tasks to which you should give your immediate attention:
- 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 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;
- Government benefit office.
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 match your new marital status. This Georgia estate planning checklist is a great start but if you need additional help, please contact us today at (678) 809-4922 or get our book, Estate Planning for the Modern Family, to learn about how we can help you enjoy your wedded bliss with financial and legal security.
John P. Farrell, Esq.
Mr. Farrell is the author of Estate Planning for the Modern Family: A Georgian's Guide to Wills, Trusts, and Powers of Attorney. You can learn about his book here and learn more about John here. Join the more than 1,500 people who subscribe to his Newsletter here. Feel free to send John a message here.
