MARRIAGE GUIDE GO TO WWW.PERSONALCAPITAL.COM TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR FREE FINANCIAL TOOLS At Personal Capital, we realize how much life decisions impact your financial choices – and vice versa. One of the biggest decisions people make is whether to connect their lives to another person: marriage. This decision can impact your financial life and goals in ways that few other decisions can. From determining whether you’re financially compatible, to planning the wedding, to figuring out what comes next, the Personal Capital Marriage Guide will help you navigate many of the financial topics that come to mind when tying the knot. Deciding to Tie the Knot YOU FOUND YOUR SOULMATE – NOW WHAT? yenoM si ton no eht tsil fo citnamo r .scipo t tuB ti si eht gnidael esuac fo s se rt s ni a pihsnoitale r . oS fi e r ’uo y de t s e re tni ni gnit sal regnol naht gniy as I“ ” , od e reht e ra emo s cisa b y enom s klat e w dnemo ce r gniv ah htiw ruo y ra rentp sa uo y ediced o t dneps ruo y se rutuf . reht ego t esehT nac eb ro elbat fmo cnu , snoitas re v no c tub gnieb nepo dna tsenoh tuoba y enom si a y e k o t a y pah lufs s e c cus . pihs ra rent p GOTLEARN MRGBURN 2017 MARRIAGE GUIDE p3 enimre t eD laicnaniF ytilibita pmo C uo Y y am eb elb i t a p m o c ni ruo y se k i l dna , s e k i l s i d tub tah w tuo b a ruo y lai c n a n i f ? yt i l i b i t a p m o c e re H e ra emo s doo g sno i t s e u q uo y ht o b dlu o h s ksa : s e v l e s r u o y DEBT NUMBERS seoD ruo y renrt a p e v a h y na ,t b e d dna fi , o s w oh hcu m od y eh t e v a h dna tah w si ti gni t s o c ? me h t ro F ,e c n a t s n i gni v a h 05$ 0, 00 ni hgih ts e r e t n i tid e r c d ra c t be d si a t ol es r o w nah t gni v a h a 05$ 0, 00 .egag r t o m INCOME PICTURE AND JOB STABILITY elihW uo y w on k eht gni l g g u r t s tsirt a ro eht luf i t u a e b s s e r t i a w - d e n r u t - s s e r t c a e ra eur t se t s i r t a ta ,rta e h e ra y eh t gni g n i r b ni elb a i v emo c n i , w o n dna ni eht elb a e e s e r o f ? e r u t u f na C uo y tnu o c no meh t o t e tu b i r t n o c o t a mre t - g n o l lai c n a n i f , e r u t u f ro lli w uo y eb gni r e d l u o h s eht nia m ? d a o l SAVINGS PATTERNS tahW seo d mre t - g n o l sgn i v a s koo l e ki l ro f ruo y ? re n r t a p oD y eh t koo l o t eht e ru t u f dna nre t t a p rie h t sgn i v a s sti b a h o t t ee m tah t ? e r u t u f SPENDING PATTERNS gniv a S nac yln o eb deh s i l p m o c c a ni tx e t n o c f o ;gn i d n e p s re t f a ,ll a gni d n e p s yll a c i t s a r d stc a p m i tah w uo y nac .e v a s ruo Y renrt a p thg i m e ka m xis , s e r u g i f tub fi eh ro ehs si gni d n e p s %9 9 fo tah t , em o c n i neh t s ’ e r e h t on y a w o t ylb a i v .e v a s ruO ee r f eni l n o slo o t ple h uo y kni h t hgu o r h t ruo y , s e c n a n i f gni w o l l a uo y o t kni l lla ruo y lai c n a n i f stn u o c c a os uo y nac ee s a e t el p m o c e ru t c i p f o ruo y gni d n e p s dna sgn i v a s . st i b a h LONG-TERM FINANCIAL GOALS tA eht dne fo eht , y a d es e h t sno i t a s r e v n o c dlu o h s rto p p u s a mre t - g n o l lai c n a n i f .la o g seo D ruo y s re’n r t a p aed i f o a mre t - g n o l lai c n a n i f la o g nae m gni w o l b f f o tne m e r i t e r sgn i v a s ni ro v a f f o gni d r o f f a eht wen ? al s e T rO seo d ti nae m eh ro ehs si gni n n a l p rie h t lan o s r e p se c n a n i f o t rto p p u s a dilo s tne m e r i t e r ? el y t s e f i l uo Y nac esu ruo tne m e r i t e R ren n a l P o t e s fi uo y dna ruo y renrt a p e ra ni cny s dna no kca r t hti w ruo y mre t - g n o l lai c n a n i f . s l a o g PERSONAL CAPITAL 2017 MARRIAGE GUIDE p � s suc siD eht sliat eD fo gnitatibaho C gni v o M ni hti w eno e m o s si sy a w l a .lu f s s e r t s eli h W gni u g r a re v o tsu j tah w eda h s uo y tna w o t tni a p ruo y gni v i l ,mo o r ro gni t a b e d reh t e h w s ’t i hrto w gni v i g pu ruo y cis s a l c kco r sd r o c e r fi ehs se v i g pu reh ega t n i v eip nit ,no i t c e l l o c gni n i b m o c sdl o h e s u o h si tuo b a gni s i m o r p m o c ni e ro m sy a w nah t .en o e ro f e B uo y e v o m ni , re h t e g o t s ’t i a doog aed i o t kla t tuo b a ohw sy a p ro f ,ta h w os e r ’ u o y t on gni r u g i f sih t tuo neh w e r ’ u o y de t t i m m o c o t gni v i l hti w sih t no s r e p ro f ta tsa e l a rae y ro .e r o m lli W uo y eb gni t t i l p s tne r ? yl l a u q e tah W fi s ’ e r e h t a egag r t o m dna uo y e v a h yrte p o r p ? s e x a t dlu o h S uo y ht o b eb gni y a p ;si h t tah w fi yln o eno no s r e p si no eht ? el t i t s ’ e r e h T a t ol o t kni h t tuo b a neh w uo y kni h t tuo b a gni v i l hti w eno e m o s – ylba m u s e r p ro f eht ts e r f o ruo y e fi l – taht seo g ra f dno y e b tah w tne c s tne g r e t e d uo y ,e s u ro tah w e ru t a r e p m e t ll’ u o y pee k eht . t a t s o m r e h t E UDGUR� �� � A� GR�� � Grab a glass of wine with your partner and ask yourselves these questions to help you plan for the future: How much money do we earn together How much should we save for an and what is our earning potential down emergency fund and who is responsible the road? for what portion? Do we earn enough to cover our current How much do we have in investment combined expenses? accounts, including retirement, IRAs, and 401ks? What is our ultimate financial goal and how do we plan on achieving it? Where do we put our money, and what [Speak to a financial advisor today] kinds of purchases do we need to decide on together? How much in liquid assets do we have, and do we keep those funds in joint or Who is in charge of keeping the books, separate accounts? paying the bills, and keeping us on track for any long-term financial planning? GOTLEARN MRGBURN 2017 MARRIAGE GUIDE p5 ehT eniF tnir P neh W uo y dni f eht thg i r , en o ti sme e s e ki l e fi l si na s s e l d n e hc t e r t s f o noi t a n i g a m i dna . sm a e r d nI , yt i l a e r eht lai c n a n i f eni f tni r p si na tnart o p m i rta p f o gni d l i u b a noit a d n u o f hti w ruo y renrt a p os uo y nac t e s mre t - g n o l lai c n a n i f sla o g dna yll a u t c a e v e i h c a .me h t WEDDING BUDGETS gnima e r D f o eht gib y ad nac eb ,nu f tub eht ” B“ d ro w – taht , si ”st e g d u b “ – nac gni r b uo y kca b o t yti l a e r re t s a f nah t nia r no ruo y gni d d e w . y a d ehT ega r e v a gni d d e w ts o c ni eht de t i n U se t a t S si hrto n f o 2$ 0, 6 00 . t A es eh t , s e c i r p tah w dni k f o gni d d e w od uo y ,tn a w w oh hcu m e ra uo y gni l l i w o t , y a p dna ohw lli w y a p ro f ? t i rT kca y ruo laicnanif htlaeh gnirud w gnide nosaes – dna yeb dno ngilA y ruo vA dio laicnanif w gnide tegdub kcohs yb htiw y ruo rc gnitae na t-gnol mre -rednu va egare cnanif e slaog w gnide tegdub T kla t o a laicnanif rosivda t o ksa snoitseuq tuoba y ruo laicnanif slaog dna h wo a w gnide yalp s tni o meht PERSONAL CAPITAL 2017 MARRIAGE GUIDE p � HOUSEHOLD BUDGETS t’ noD t eg r o f tuo b a es o h t y ad y r e v e . s e s n e p x e sei t i l i t U nac egn a r eht tum a g mo r f cis a b yti c i r t c e l e dna sag o t mui m e r p srto p s noi s i v e l e t seg a k c a p dna de p s - h g i h .t e n r e t n I w oH li w uo y yv i d es e h t ? pu tah W fi eno fo uo y si a t emr u o g ko c dna eht reh t o si e ro m f o a tu-o e k a t ? no s r e p The USDA found taht gni d e e f o wt elp o e p nee w t e b eht seg a f o 1 9 dna 05 nac ts o c 1$ 46 - 23$ 7 rep .ht n o m sih T reb m u n yln o ylt h g i l s se s a e r c e d eht red l o uo y ,t e g o t 1$ 26 - 03$ 3 fi uo y dna ruo y renrt a p lla f ni eht 15 7- 0 ega .eg n a r oS w oh od yre c o r g sll i b tif o tn i eht ? e r u t c i p kni h T d ra h tuo b a lla eht reh t o e fi l sei t i n e m a ll’ u o y w on eb gni r a h s hti w a r e:nrt a p a rac y am e vl o v n i ylh t n o m , st n e m y a p , e c n a r u s n i sag , st s o c dna gni k r a p . s e e f st e P nac osl a eb . yl t s o c e ru t u F sno i t a c a v dna dlo h e s u o h sme t i nac dda . pu elih W gni r a h s emo s f o es e h t se s n e p x e nac ple h y a r f e d , st s o c na lan o i t i d d a no s r e p nac nae m ded d a st s o c e v’ u o y re v e n dia p .e r o f e b es e h T s ro t c a f tah t y al p o tn i ruo y yli a d e fi l ts o c y en o m – dna s ’t i rta m s o t kni h t hgu o r h t es o h w s ra l l o d rto p p u s hci h w ,rta p yl a i c e p s e fi uo y e v a h elba i r a v . s e m o c n i PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENTS oN eno se k i l o t kni h t ,tu o b a tub uo y od dee n o t red i s n o c tuo b a tah w sne p p a h fi lit ‘ “ hta e d od su ”rta p sem o c e b lit ‘ “ e c r o v i d od su ” .rt a p ro F ,el p m a x e fi uo y e vi l ni a ytin u m m o c yrte p o r p , e t a t s gni t t e g dei r r a m yll a c i s a b sen i b m o c gni h t y r e v e – od uo y dee n a lait p u n e r p ,tn e m e e r g a yll a i c e p s e fi eno fo uo y sah a rehg i h t en ? hrt o w sI ruo y yli m a f de v l o v n i ni sih t noi s i c e d dna od y eh t tna w uo y o t tup eno ni ? e c a l p sih T si a tluc i f f i d noi t a s r e v n o c o t ,e v a h eno tah t nac eb e fi r hti w lan o i t o m e . s e n i m d n a l w oH uo y hca o r p p a sih t tce j b u s lli w dne p e d no ruo y pih s n o i t a l e r dna noi t a c i n u m m o c hti w ruo y e ru t u f .e s u o p s uo Y dlu o h s tca t n o c na . y e n r o t t a EXISTING DEPENDENTS fI uo y e v a h stn e d n e p e d mo r f a suoi v e r p , pi h s n o i t a l e r e re h t e ra tne r e f f i d sno i t s e u q tah t nac esi r a hti w a wen .no i n u tah W rta p f o ruo y den i b m o c se c n a n i f seo g o t meh t w on dna ni eht ? e r u t u f neh W de t c i d e r p n u lai c n a n i f stn e v e ruc c o gni v l o v n i es o h t , st n e d n e p e d tah w si ruo ?y y t i l i b i s n o p s e r / t u p n i / t n e m e v l o v n i ro F dei r r a m sel p u o c ohw eli f se x a t , yl e t a r a p e s yln o eno esu o p s rep dli h c nac mia l c a dlih c sa a .tne d n e p e d , e s i w e k i L fi a elpu o c si de c r o v i d – ylno eno esu o p s nac mia l c a dlih c sa a .t n e d n e p e d y na M sei l i m a f e ra gni d n e l b w on tah t x e s - e m a s ega i r r a m si lag e l ,dn a , e r o f e r e h t y na m ree u q sla u d i v i d n i e ra gni g n i r b rie h t nw o ne r d l i h c o tn i rie h t w en . s e i l i m a f A nom o c e ci t c a r p si ro f wen se s u o p s o t t po d a eht ne r d l i h c rie h t se s u o p s gni r b o tn i eht . y l i m a f sno i t p o d A e ta r e n e g , s e s n e p x e tub ro f ht o b x e s - e m a s dna e ti s o p p o x e s , s e l p u o c eht SRI seo d t on wei v eht noi t p o d a f o a s ’ e s u o p s dli h c sa qualifying adoption expenses ro f eht noi t p o d A tid e r C dna noi t p o d A e cn a t s i s s A . s m a r g o r P GOTLEARN MRGBURN 2017 MARRIAGE GUIDE p7 D� MI� I� G� I� A� I�� A � AD�� ��� � The money conversations don’t end just when you say “I do.” As you think about combining two lives – and that includes financial lives – you should also be thinking about combining assets. Do you want to keep them separate or will you blend them? While there’s no blanket right way that will work for everyone since each couple has completely different situations and circumstances, you can evaluate some of the benefits to each. AA� A� GE � D� E� EI� G� AE� � E� A� RAE� � Many people like to maintain their own individual accounts, separate from one they share with their spouse. A common reason for maintaining separate accounts is for independence - you may like having control over your own spending habits without someone else looking over your shoulder. In addition, e rom elp o e p ni eht de t i n U se t a t S e ra gni t t e g dei r r a m re t a l ni ,e fi l which means many financial habits and accounts are already established, and there isn’t the need to subsequently join accounts. You may also consider keeping separate accounts for your own individual needs – whether it’s paying individual bills, keeping a separate emergency fund, or privacy. And lastly, if you have inherited money, it might be a good idea to keep this in a separate account to show that it’s inherited, which might be helpful down the road should anything happen with your marriage. AA�� A�� GE � D� MAIA�� II� G� D� I �� AD�� ��� � On the other hand, many couples who decide to keep their accounts together report a sense of autonomy and feeling like part of a team when they use this method. In addition, if something unexpectedly happens to one of you, it may be difficult for the other spouse to access funds – you generally have to go through probate for this. One way you can work around this is through a transfer of death on the account, which allows the holdings to go directly to the spouse upon the death of the other. There are also certain things to consider when using a joint account. For example, does each person put in an equitable amount of money? Or does each person put in an equitable percentage of his or her income? What happens if one person is a stay-at-home parent? How do you allocate unexpected bonuses? Who will be in charge of tracking spending and how will you measure net worth? Will you still sit down together and discuss your finances and keep track of all your accounts or is each person individually responsible for their financial fate? Because of these questions and the complicated nature in which the answers might affect the relationship, it might take longer to work out some of the fine-tuning of having joint accounts. PERSONAL CAPITAL 2017 MARRIAGE GUIDE p� Walking Down the Aisle MAKING THE DREAM WEDDING INTO REALITY ev’uo Y dediced o t e kam taht pael o tni ,egairam dna w on ruo y daeh si delif htiw snoisiv fo enga pmahc , st sa o t lano sae s , s re w olf dna gnizama de talp srenid ? ne kcihc ( ? kae t s ylbaniat sus de t s e vrah aes . ) ? s sa b tuB gninrut taht gnide w mae rd o tni ytilae r se kat a tol fo luf e rac thguoht dna .gninalp uo Y tna w o t e ta rbele c ruo y egairam htiw a gnide w taht sronoh uo y sa a ,elpuo c tuohtiw gnigag rom t ruo y sluo s o t od . os e reH e ra emo s sgniht o t kniht tuoba nehw gninalp ro f taht laiceps . y ad kca r [ T ruo y se cnanif os uo y nac tih ruo y mre t -gnol ] sla og GOTLEARN MRGBURN 2017 MARRIAGE GUIDE p9 gniy a P ro f eht gnide W nI s y’ a d o t nre d o m ,dl r o w gni t a g i v a n gni y a p ro f a gnid d e w nac eb .gn i m l e h w r e v o ehT ega r e v a gni d d e w ts o c ni eht de t i n U se t a t S si e ro m nah t 2$ 0, 6 00 . tahT reb m u n sem o c tsu j red n u eht ega r e v a noi t c a s n a r t e ci r p )PT A ( no a wen . e l c i h e v t A es e h t , s e c i r p dna hti w sel p u o c yda e r l a lle w o tn i rie h t s re e r a c dna gni t i a w reg n o l o t t eg ,de i r r a m y na m sei l i m a f e ra gni t a u l a v - e e r eht emi t - d l o sno i t i d a r t f o eht s ’ e d i r b yli m a f gni t o o f eht yti r o j a m f o eht gni d d e w .l i b hti W sih t ni ,dn i m uo y dlu o h s kni h t tuo b a tah w dni k f o gni d d e w uo y ,tn a w w oh hcu m e ra uo y gni l l i w o t , y a p dna ohw li w yap ro f ? t i fI e r ’ u o y gni y r t o t e ru g i f tuo ohw dlu o h s y a p ro f tah w neh w ti sem o c o t ruo y ,gn i d d e w yrt a we f fo es e h t . s p i t pee K ni ,dn i m es e h t e ra tsu j ;s e n i l e d i u g es e h t se c i o h c dlu o h s eb ni eni l hti w tah w uo y dna ruo y e ru t u f esu o p s tna w sa a ,elp u o c t on tsu j tah w noi t i d a r t . s y a s es e h T sy a d e re h t si on e zi s - e n o sti f lla .no i t u l o s fI ht o b uo y dna ruo y e ru t u f esu o p s e v a h sei l i m a f hti w suo r e n e g , st e s s a neh t gni s u eht lan o i t i d a r t eni l t u o y am e ka m esn e s – s ’ti na ysa e t e s fo sel u r tah t nac e ka m gni d i c e d ohw dlu o h s y a p ro f tah w yt e r p .el p m i s uo Y dlu o h s s s e s s a ruo y lai c n a n i f sno i t a u t i s o t ee s fi sih t se k a m esn e s ro f . u o y D � � � EI� � E G� IIRM� � E � E MAG� Too many wedding invitations? Here are tips on surviving wedding season START SAVING – Put oury vsia n g s oi nt a LEARN HOW TO SAY NO. ou Y t ’do n e vha o t e n te rdif f o u n c t a . c en v E i f s it’ j u t s 1% fo eac h ea n t d t ervy e ed w ed -i pn rg entv e or e nv e c h ey c p a k , e mak i t a hab i t and tsi c k it in a er vy e ed w d i n g . If ouy and the bri d e and / v s i a n g s ounc t a c s tha t ’ tn o ed lin k o t ou ry o r oogm r t’ envh a e n spo k o r ( at lea ts edx )te t c h e c k i n g ounc t a c so ou y oi dv a etm ap t t i o n in the lats six mon t h s – t’ don e e l f gu i l t y fo ski m m i n g om fr i t . ou Y sh o u l d try o t fi n d a se n d i n g ouyr tes e gr t h a t ouy t’ onw b e abl e vs i a n g s ounc t a c th a t ear n s at lea ts 00% 1. . A Y P o t e mak i t . TRY TRAVEL HACKING. ou Y sh o u l d onl y d o SHOP REGISTRIES ON HOLIDAY WEEKENDS. this if ou y e vha a ongts r ed ic tr e orsc a n d ear T h e pels a c pe o p l e usu a l l y egr i trs e ar a l l go o d wit h edic tr .d sca r I f ou y kw n o ou ’y l l es or ts t h a t do de p doui sn c t s on odpu rc t s be spe n d i n g a tl o on eliv n t a g r or f ed w d i ,ng s d u r i n g hol i y d a en .d se w k e e p K ou yr e ye o u t ou y mi g h t anw t o t e tak a d n v t a g e fo a edic tr o r f ae dr v t i s e m e n t s or f La b o r , yDa M e m o r i a l d car b o n u s d arwe r o r .ot w , yDa o r our t h F fo Jul y doiu sn c .ts PERSONAL CAPITAL 2017 MARRIAGE GUIDE p � �