Tax Tips for Those Getting Married

Know someone getting married? Send them this tip now.

If you recently got married, plan to get married, or know someone taking the matrimonial plunge, here are some important tax tips every new bride and groom should know.

Notify Social Security. Notify the Social Security Administration (SSA) of any name changes by filling out Form SS-5. The IRS matches names with the SSA and may reject your joint tax return if the names don’t match what the SSA has on file.

Address change notification. If either of you are moving, update your address with your employer as well as the Postal Service. This will ensure your W-2s are correctly stated and delivered to you at the end of the year. You will also need to update the IRS with your new address using Form 8822.

Review your benefits. Getting married allows you to make mid-year changes to employer benefit plans. Take the time to review health, dental, auto, and home insurance plans and update your coverage. If both of you have employer health plans, you need to decide whether it makes sense for each of you to keep your plans or whether it’s better for one to join the other’s plan as a spouse. Pay special attention to the tax implication of changes in health savings accounts, dependent childcare benefits and other employer pre-tax benefits.

Update your withholdings. You will need to recalculate your payroll withholdings and file new W-4s reflecting your new status. If both of you work, your combined income could put you in a higher tax bracket. This can result in reduced and phased-out benefits.

Update beneficiaries and other legal documents. Review your legal documents to make sure the names and addresses reflect your new marital status. This includes bank accounts, credit cards, property titles, insurance policies, and living wills. More importantly, review and update beneficiaries on your retirement savings accounts and pensions.

Understand the tax impact of your residence. If you are selling one or two residences, review how capital gains tax laws apply to your situation. This is especially important if one of you has been in your home for only a short time or if either home has appreciated in value. This should be done as soon as possible prior to getting married to maximize your tax benefits.

Sit down with an expert. It is natural for newlyweds to focus their attention on the big day. Many decisions are to be made, from selecting a venue to planning the honeymoon. Because of this, reviewing your tax situation often is an afterthought. Do not make this mistake. Before the big day, a simple tax and financial planning session can save on future headaches and avoid potentially expensive tax mistakes.

If you’d like to review how marriage will affect your tax and financial situation, call at your earliest opportunity.

Share This Post

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Get updates and learn from the best

More To Explore

Save Those Receipts!

Share this post with your friends Save Those Receipts! Share this post with your friends Save Those Receipts! These tips are money in your pocket

Anne K August 14, 2023

Planning

Cash in on 0% Capital Gains Tax Rate

Cash in on 0% Capital Gains Tax Rate Share this post with your friends While the maximum capital gain tax rate can be as high

Anne K July 25, 2023

What's New

IRS Announces End to Unannounced Door-to-Door Visits

IRS Announces End to Unannounced Door-to-Door Visits Agents will stop showing up at the door to collect unpaid taxes Share this post with your friends

LFG Accounting July 24, 2023