Reporting life changes
The Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, said that the only thing that is constant is change. And we can’t argue with that.
Sometimes we plan changes, while other times they occur unexpectedly. Major life changes include:
- getting married
- having a baby
- adoption
- gaining/losing a dependent
- divorce
- loss of a spouse through death or divorce
- remarriage
- becoming a step-parent
Be it a happy or sad occasion, one thing these changes have in common is that they all require some level of administration.
When you are caught up in the excitement of welcoming your baby, paperwork is probably the last thing on your mind. Every birth in New Zealand is required by law to be registered. For all the information on registering a new baby and getting a birth certificate, read the information on the New Zealand Government website.
After the death of a loved one, there is a lot of practical matters to deal with amid your grief. It’s probably not something you feel like tackling, yet some things need to be taken care of right away, while other matters can wait until later. This post on $orted, Losing a partner – Taking care of the financial issues, provides a comprehensive overview of what needs to be done when.
Separating or getting divorced is another situation that drastically impacts your life. Many emotions come into play and, when it comes to sorting out the practicalities, you need to set those emotions aside and let your head rule, not your heart. The New Zealand Government website has a section on separating or getting divorced, covering subjects from relationship counselling to separation orders and child custody/support
Remarriage might follow divorce and blended families are becoming increasingly common. Here too, you need to consider issues that may require administrative and legal changes. How do you plan to approach matters such as wills, guardianship or adoption, and other formalities?
Updating insurance due a life event change is something people often overlook. Yet these changes need to be reported so that the relevant organisations can be updated. Many of these life events will also necessitate a change to your insurance policies. This applies across the board from health to home insurance, and everything in between.
How we can help
If your life circumstances will change shortly, or have changed recently, then call us (0800-230-235) or send an email (admin@nzadvicegroup.co.nz) to set up time to review and update your insurance needs.