Give yourselves a pat on the back! You made it through the fun (and headaches) of planning the big event, walking down the aisle, toasting to a lifetime of happiness and dancing under the stars.

Now the ceremony is over and its time to start your financial life together. As you settle into your day-to-day activities, there are a few important things to remember:

• If you’re changing your name, don’t forget to notify the Social Security Administration immediately, as well as your financial institutions, credit card companies and the Human Resources or Benefits Departments where you work. You’ll also want to change your name on your driver’s license since it is often used for identification.
• Discuss changing the beneficiaries on any life insurance or annuities you may have, updating your retirement and investment plans, and creating or revising your will.
• Update and combine your individual budgets to reflect your new shared living situation.
• Contact a local Woodmen of the World Representative for a free needs analysis. He or she can help you identify your short- and long-term financial needs and recommend solutions to assure that both you and your new family will be protected.

Woodmen of the World and its subsidiary Woodmen Financial Services (WFS) offer a variety of products that can help make your financial future a success:

• Life insurance
• Annuities
• Mutual funds offered through WFS

You can also visit the following Woodmen Financial Services calculators to help you and your new spouse plan for your financial future. Calculators available include:

• Home financing calculators
• Personal financing calculators
• Investment calculators
• Retirement calculators

By planning now, you can concentrate on building your new life with the one you love, and making all of your hopes and dreams come true.