7 Legal Things to Do After Getting Married

After you get your license, you can now get an officiant who will preside over your ceremony. An officiant is a lawful person appointed by the state to help oversee your wedding.

After you get your license, you can now get an officiant who will preside over your ceremony. An officiant is a person who is legally recognized by the state to help oversee your wedding.

The long-awaited day arrives. Here you are, finally married. Below, we take you through seven legal things to do after getting married.

01. Change your surname.

While some married couples prefer to have one surname, others choose to stay with their surnames as they were before marriage. If you do decide to change your last name, start by visiting official institutions such as your local registry, insurance companies, your bank, and your place of work with your marriage certificate as proof of change. You can notify your bank via a Name Change Notification Letter with proof of documentation upon request. If you wish to change your surname, some of the documents you will have to change after marriage include your passport, social security card, and driver’s license.

02. How you file your tax returns.

After you get married, the next step is to decide if you will file your tax returns as a couple or maintain filing separate tax returns. Some benefits of filing tax returns as a couple include deductions and borrowing personal tax credits, therefore lowering the tax bracket for each partner.

Married couples can also save a few coins by avoiding gift and estate taxes. As a rule of thumb, when someone has left you their estate, you must pay taxes since the estate is considered a form of income. Married couples are exempt from this form of payment. Further, if one spouse passes on and leaves behind their estate, the surviving spouse is not obligated to pay estate taxes.

03. How you acquire property.

Another legal change that happens when you get married is acquiring property. Any property bought during the marriage is marital property. It could be anything ranging from a house to a teacup. In some states, equitable distribution of property applies upon the dissolution of a marriage. Under equitable distribution, property acquired before and during the marriage is divided equally between divorcees when dissolving the marriage.

04. Inheritance rights.

One of the documents to highly consider legally updating to include your spouse is your will. Draft a clear and concise one incorporating your partner after you are married. Inheritance laws and rights govern the universal practice of how property, rights, obligations, debts, assets, and titles pass from the owner to who they want it to benefit. The nuclear family, usually consisting of parents and siblings, are considered immediate beneficiaries to your property upon your passing. However, when couples are married, spouses are entitled to the majority share of each other’s property upon demise, especially when there is no will in place. Property is divided according to the contents of that will in the presence of one.

A will is different from a prenuptial agreement; it is a legal document governing how a person wishes to share their property upon their demise. On the other hand, a prenuptial agreement determines how properties and assets are divided and additional restrictions on what a partner may inherit from the other’s estate before entering a marriage. A prenuptial agreement gives a partner the autonomy to keep some assets separate.

05. Update your life and health insurance policies.

Life and health insurance policies are vital as they offer us security in uncertain times. Depending on the type of job you have, most employers have health insurance coverage as part of their benefits package and salary. These insurance packages usually cover a spouse and their children. Once you are married, you and your partner should update the beneficiaries on your life and health insurance policies.

06. The making of healthcare decisions.

Healthcare professionals often turn to the spouse of a patient when there is a need to make a medical decision on their behalf. Decisions such as approving surgical processes on behalf of a partner are common scenarios. Once you are legally married, it is highly advisable to appoint your spouse as a proxy, with the guidance of a medical power of attorney to empower them to make healthcare decisions.

07. Consider opening a joint bank account.

When couples are legally married, sharing finances and day-to-day expenses becomes a direct result of their union. Such costs include how and what property you acquire, utilities, house shopping, and rent. Therefore, it is practical for married couples to open a joint bank account to streamline the process of paying for these expenses. A mutual bank account allows for shared access to finances between spouses. The right of survivorship governs this type of account. In the event of the death of one spouse, the funds are still accessible to the surviving spouse. Among the many benefits of survivorship rights, you will spend less time providing documentation proof if you keep two separate accounts.

According to a survey, six percent of Americans have divorced on money issues, highlighting how crucial it is to make necessary legal changes financially.