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Important financial considerations for life-changing events
What are the financial implications of marriage (and of divorce and remarriage)? Those who have recently changed their marital status or who are planning such a change may have important financial and legal decisions to make. These decisions might deal with property ownership, providing for children’s welfare, postmortem planning, and day-to-day finances.
This Financial Guide discusses financial considerations related to a change in marital status. And, because divorce is sometimes the flip side of a marriage—and often the bridge between marriage and remarriage—it is covered here as well.
Under a joint IRS and U.S. Department of the Treasury ruling issued in 2013, same-sex couples, legally married in jurisdictions that recognize their marriages, are treated as married for federal tax purposes, including income and gift and estate taxes. The ruling applies regardless of whether the couple lives in a jurisdiction that recognizes same-sex marriage or a jurisdiction that does not recognize same-sex marriage.
Any same-sex marriage legally entered into in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, a U.S. territory or a foreign country is covered by the ruling. However, the ruling does not apply to registered domestic partnerships, civil unions or similar formal relationships recognized under state law.
This guide will also briefly touch on legal issues involved; however, variations in state law make it nearly impossible to discuss in any detail the legal ramifications that a change in marital status presents.
When it comes to insurance needs, the basic rule is that you need enough coverage to sustain your family's present income level should you die. If you are the only breadwinner, or if you plan on starting a family soon, then you should purchase life insurance.
Related Guide: Please see the Financial Guide: LIFE INSURANCE: How Much And What Kind To Buy
If you intend to buy a home or other property or if you and your spouse already own property together, then you need to consider the best way for you to hold that property. Will the property be held solely by one spouse? By both spouses jointly? Because of the complex legal implications of the various forms of property ownership, you should seek legal advice about this issue.
It is important to carefully consider how the two of you will handle your day-to-day finances. New couples should be prepared to discuss financial goals, resolve differences (or at least agree to disagree) in spending habits, and establish a budget and/or saving and investment plan.
You'll also need to think about whether you want a joint bank account, separate accounts, or both. How much do you want to spend on vacations? On monthly food bills? Entertainment? Gifts? Personal items? What are your long-term financial goals?
Do you have a financial plan? If you don't, then now is the time to prepare one. Even if you do have a financial plan in place, since your marital status has changed it might be time to review and update it.
Related Guide: Please see the Financial Guide: YOUR FINANCIAL PLAN: Getting Started on A Secure Future
Assessing your financial situation helps you in two ways:
To take stock of your situation start by preparing an inventory of your financial assets:
Make sure you have copies of the past two or three years' tax returns …
Figure out how much it will cost you to live after the divorce …
It is important to cancel all joint accounts immediately once you know you are going to obtain a divorce …
If your spouse's poor credit hurts your credit record, you may be able to separate yourself from the spouse's information on your credit report. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act requires a creditor to take into account any information showing that the credit history being considered does not reflect your own.
For instance, if you can show that accounts you shared with your spouse were opened by him or her before your marriage and that he or she paid the bills, you may be able to convince the creditor that the harmful information relates to your spouse's credit record, not yours.
In practice, it is difficult to prove that the credit history under consideration does not reflect your own, and you may have to be persistent in working with creditors and credit bureaus to resolve the issue.
If a woman divorces and changes her name on an account, lenders may review her application or credit file to see whether her qualifications alone meet their credit standards. They may ask her to reapply even though the account remains open.
Maintaining credit in your own name is the best way to avoid this inconvenience. It also makes it easier to preserve your own, separate credit history. Further, should you need credit in an emergency it will be available when you need it.
Related Guide: Please see the Financial Guide: CREDIT REPORTS: What You Should Know—And Do—About Yours.
If you have been sharing your husband's accounts, building a credit history in your name should be fairly easy. Call a major credit bureau and request a copy of your report. Contact the issuers of the cards you share with your husband and ask them to report the accounts in your name as well.
If you used the accounts, but never co-signed for them, ask to be added on as jointly liable for some of the major credit cards. Once you have several accounts listed as references on your credit record, apply for a department store card, or even a Visa or MasterCard, in your own name.
If you held accounts jointly and they were opened before 1977 (in which case they may have been reported only in your husband's name), point them out and tell the creditor to consider them as your credit history also. The creditor cannot require your spouse's or former spouse's signature to access his credit file if you are using his information to qualify for credit.
If you do not have a credit history, a secured credit card is a fairly quick and easy way to get a major credit card. Secured credit cards look and are used like regular Visa or MasterCards, but they require a savings or money market deposit of several hundred dollars that the lender holds in case you default. In most cases, the creditor will report your payment record on these accounts just like a regular bank card, allowing you to build a good credit record if you pay your bills promptly.
The best way to plan for the legal issues involved in a divorce—including child custody, division of property, and alimony or support payments—is to come to an agreement with your spouse. If you can reach an agreement, the time and money you will have to expend in coming up with a legal solution—either one worked out between the two attorneys or one worked out by a court—will be drastically reduced.
Here are some general tips for handling the legal aspects of a divorce:
Those who have trouble arriving at an equitable agreement—and who do not require the services of an attorney—might consider the use of a divorce mediator. Ask friends, relatives, and other professionals for recommendations or contact the Association for Conflict Resolution (see the last section of this guide for contact information). You can also look in the phone book or classifieds under "Divorce Assistance" or "Lawyer Alternatives".
The laws governing the division of property between ex-spouses vary from state to state. Further, matrimonial judges have a great deal of latitude in applying those laws.
Here is a list of items you should be sure to take care of, regardless of whether you are represented by an attorney.
When considering remarriage, it is important to plan for the following:
If either spouse has significant assets, it will be necessary to consult an attorney.
As for the estate planning aspects of providing for children from a previous marriage, trusts and/or life insurance are the vehicles most often used to do this.
Be sure to update your will before you remarry …
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