The day has arrived and you’ve said your “ I dos.” You moved all of your belongings and his/hers to your new home. You would think that your days of planning are behind you. In fact, they have just started. After your honeymoon, there is a huge list of things that need attention.
- That pile of presents that are sitting in the corner that you haven’t opened yet. You need to send out thank you notes as soon as possible. Some bride’s magazines state that you have up to a year to thank someone, but some people are waiting to hear if you liked the gift, if it arrived or if you are planning to cash the check. A general email thank you will not suffice. The notes should be hand written and signed by both of you.
- Legally change your name, if you are changing it. Take out all of the legal documents that you may need. You’ll need your birth certificate, marriage certificate and social security cards. The sooner that you get everything in one name, it is easier to apply for passports and credit cards. This also helps when you file your income tax as a couple for the first time.
- Financial matters should be taken care of before you get married. Decide if you are having individual or joint checking and savings account. Discuss what your goals are for the future. A bigger house? Travel? New car? If you are having individual accounts, then who pays what bills? What happens if you don’t have enough money that month for the bills? There are a lot of considerations to make, so don’t wait until you are in the honeymoon phase to decide on these matters and to get them settled.
- If you own your own home, then you will probably want to go for at least the kitchen and bathroom renovations in Sydney. Since these are the most used room, you want them to work for you and not against you. Take a good look at through the eyes of the user. What do you actually need and want for your kitchen renovation? Look through magazines and talk to others about what they like and dislike about their kitchens.
- Be honest with your spouse about the amount of debt that you owe and the assets that you possess. Once you are married, the debts become a responsibility of both parties. You can’t pay down a debt if you have no knowledge of it. You won’t be granted loans if your debt is too large or is in arrears. Then you will have to have the discussion with your spouse.
Don’t start your marriage on the wrong foot. Have the discussions before you tie the knot. Then there will be no hidden secrets. Get copies of your credit card statements, your balances for all of your banking accounts and the amount of debt that you owe. By working together to rid yourself of debt, then you are also building a stronger marriage. While you are dealing with this paperwork, don’t forget to change your will and the beneficiaries of your will and life insurance. You want the proper people to obtain your assets.
Money is the top reason for divorce in this country. By discussing these matters ahead of time, you can keep your marriage alive. Don’t wait for the worse to happen, fix the problems ahead of time. Don’t forget to do the other items on your list, either. Your favorite aunt is waiting to hear if you liked the present.
**
