All life events
A household is separating
One household becomes two. The risk is losing access to an account, a policy, or a record at the moment you need it.
Do first
Today
- 1Make your own copies of tax returns, statements, policies, and identity documents.
- 2Open an account in your own name if you do not already have one.
- 3List every joint account, card, loan, and subscription in one place.
Next 7 days
This week
- 1Check who is covered on health insurance and what happens on the separation date.
- 2Change passwords and recovery contacts on your own email and banking.
- 3Build a budget for a one-income household, not a half-share of the old one.
Next 30 days
This month
- 1Update beneficiaries, emergency contacts, and any will or proxy documents.
- 2Rebuild a cash buffer sized to your new monthly essentials.
- 3Name two people in your own support network, separate from the shared one.
Common traps
- Losing health coverage on a date nobody wrote down.
- Documents accessible only through an account you no longer control.
- Beneficiary forms that were never updated.
Go deeper
See where this leaves your household
The five-minute check scores your household across money, health, housing, emergency readiness, and support, so you can tell which of these steps matters most for you.
Take the check