Getting married is one of life's major steps. After all the wedding details, there are a few more details to make the years ahead easier for you.

1. Name change
If you are bride who will be taking your husband's last name, you should contact the following agencies to tell them once you are married

• Social Security Administration
• department of motor vehicles (DMV) for your drivers license
• credit card companies
• voter registration (may be done at the DMV in some states)
• utility companies (if the utilities were in your name)
• personnel department of your employer
• insurance agent (life, health, homeowners, vehicle, renters)
• banks
• U.S. Department of State (passport).

2. Changing beneficiaries
Both spouses should consider changing the designated beneficiaries on

• life insurance
• IRAs
• retirement plans from civilian or private companies

Your designated beneficiary is the person or persons who will receive the death benefits at your death. If you do not take care of this, those benefits will pass to whomever you have listed on the beneficiary form, even if you have updated your will. Most retirement accounts are handled a little bit differently. If you are married at your death, your spouse will receive the death benefit from your qualified retirement benefits, regardless of whom you have listed on the beneficiary form. However, to help you spouse receive this money easily, you should update the beneficiary designation form.

3. Update your will
You should also consider estate planning—choosing who receives your assets when you die. This is especially important if either spouse had been married before or one or both spouses have children from a previous relationship as you may want to protect both your current family and your other children. Even if this is your first marriage and you have not children, it is important to update your will, if you have one, to include your spouse. Every state has a statute that to some degree includes a surviving spouse in the estate of a deceased spouse when the marriage took place after the deceased person's will was last written. However, the provisions provided by state law may not be as great as you would make yourself.