Rules Of Engagement

You’re married!! Now time to get down to the paperwork and the not so fun part of the merging of souls. While your new bride goes to the DMV, social security office, the bank, etc. to make her new last name official, you can start researching what needs to be done in regards to merging of bank accounts, insurance, and anything else you would like to join together. Before doing all this officially, I would recommend waiting until she has changed her name on all her important documents before you get started. Also, don’t let other people tell you that it’s the worst process in the world. Everywhere I turn, someone is offering me these gems, “changing your name is the worst thing in the world. It will take you WEEKS to get everything done” and “joining everything together with your spouse is so hard and it’s a nightmare.” Maybe I’m special, but my overall experience with everything was a breeze and went quite well. So go in with a good attitude and hope for the best because it really isn’t that bad. Some things to consider before getting started:

Is a joint bank account the best idea for you? The number one thing that married couples fight about is finances. My husband and I have solved this problem by not joining our bank accounts. Apparently he doesn’t enjoy overdraft notices and reckless spending as much as I do. Because of my unwillingness to curb my spending habits (mostly tanning and Starbucks) we have found that if we want to save money for the future, separate is best for now. So before you automatically start becoming one in everything, consider how this will affect you both. Some couples make great bank buddies and you could be the same! Weigh your options first. This includes choosing which bank to switch to. Much like choosing your mate, this is not something to rush into.

Who has better healthcare? The answer to this will of course depend on your job’s healthcare and benefits. Often, it makes more sense to stay on separate plans as the married healthcare costs can be quite high and not worth it. However, this really can vary a lot so look into both employers married healthcare and make your comparisons. If one of you is self-employed or unemployed, see what the options are for your own healthcare provider.

Who sucks at driving? Another big one up for discussion is car insurance quotes. This can be one of the trickier ones, especially if one (or both!) of you has been in an accident. Doing all the comparisons and getting quotes can be time consuming but in the long run it will probably end up saving you money to combine your auto insurance.

Now you get to see how much fun it is to go through all the planning of marriage! You’re just on the other side of it. You’re a guy though and you’re great at this stuff. Plus it will give her a nice break after all she just did to plan your big day. Of course, you will need to consult her on many of these things and if she’s controlling, she’ll be doing all this anyway. Good luck!

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