Resources / Your own affairs
Documents to update after a move, a marriage, or a new baby
A move, a marriage, or a new baby each triggers a short list of paperwork to update. Here they are in one place, so nothing slips through.
After a move
- Change of address (USPS)
- Driver’s license and vehicle registration
- Voter registration
- Home, auto, or renters insurance
- Billing and delivery addresses
After a marriage
- Name change (Social Security, then license, passport)
- Beneficiary designations
- Combined or updated insurance
- Wills and power of attorney
- Tax withholding (W-4) and employer records
After a new baby
- Birth certificate
- Social Security number
- Add to health insurance
- Life insurance and beneficiaries
- Start or update a will and name a guardian
After a move, change your address first. Most other updates (licenses, registrations, billing) depend on your new address being on file, so start there and the rest gets easier.
After a marriage, start with Social Security. If you are changing your name, update Social Security first. Your new card is what the DMV and passport office will ask to see.
Printed and kept where you will see it, this does its job. If you would rather it live somewhere your whole family can reach, that is what MyLifePapers is for.
Common questions
What is the one update people most often forget?
Beneficiary designations. The named beneficiary on a life insurance policy or retirement account overrides your will, so after a marriage, divorce, or new child, updating those forms matters as much as updating the will itself.