The ever-changing landscape of life—marriage, births, changes in debt and bank accounts—has undoubtedly impacted your family. But by teaming up with your spouse to clarify your goals, you can protect yourself, your children and your assets. Discuss the following questions with your spouse to make sure you’re on the same page:
Key Conversation Points
- Are the names on our bank accounts, property deeds or credit card accounts up-to-date?
- Have we updated our wills and beneficiaries on all policies including life insurance, investment policies and retirement plans to reflect significant life changes?
- When one or both of us dies, how will we distribute our assets to our children?
- When will we review our estate plans with the help of an estate planning attorney?
- Are we planning to make contributions to our favorite charities now or in our wills, or both?
When discussing charitable giving with your spouse, feel free to contact us at 800-388-0881 or plannedgiving@gonzaga.edu to discuss ways that supporting Gonzaga University can fit your financial situation.
Get the Essentials in One Place
Couples should organize important papers and end-of-life instructions in a binder. These documents include birth certificates, final instructions, advisors’ contact information, and financial and estate planning documents, among others.
Our free organizer tool can help you gather your important information.