Say "I Do" to a Post-wedding Checklist

If you thought you were done with to-do lists once your wedding was over, think again. Reviewing personal information and financial accounts and making any changes should be a priority. The checklist below can help.

Checking and Savings Accounts

Determine whether you want to merge your bank accounts, maintain separate accounts, or both. One option is to have a joint account to pay expenses you incur as a couple and individual accounts for personal expenses.

Who Owes What

Make a list of student, auto and personal loans; credit card debt; mortgages; and legal obligations, such as child support or alimony payments. Now might be a good time to assess each spouse’s financial habits and work out a compromise, especially if one of you is a saver and the other is a spender.

Beneficiary Designations

Change your beneficiaries on retirement accounts and insurance policies. Most retirement plans require you to designate your spouse as beneficiary unless your spouse agrees in writing to naming someone else.

Update Documents

If you’ve changed your name, you’ll need to update your Social Security card, driver’s license, passport, bank and credit card accounts, insurance policies, etc. You may also need to amend your address if it changed when you married.

Tax Withholding

File a new W-4 form with your employer, adjusting your tax withholding from single to married and changing your name, if applicable.

A Couples Spending Plan

List all your expenses and create a budget you can both agree on. Make sure you include putting money in an emergency fund, with the goal of saving at least three to six months’ worth of living expenses.

Future Goals

Set short-term (1-3 years), mid-term (3-9 years), and long-term (10+ years) savings goals, and create a strategy for reaching each one.

Meet and Greet

Set up a meeting with a financial professional to explore all your goals and design a strategy that can help move you toward them.