“I Do” and What Comes Next: Estate Planning Essentials for Connecticut Newlyweds

You spent months planning the perfect wedding. You found the venue, the flowers, the shoes. Now you’re back from the honeymoon and sorting through gift cards and thank-you notes. Estate planning is probably the last thing on your mind.

But here’s the thing: getting married changes your legal landscape in ways most couples don’t realize until it’s too late.

A basic estate plan isn’t morbid. It’s practical. And it may be one of the most loving things you and your new spouse can do for each other. Here’s what Connecticut newlyweds need to know.

What Happens If You Don’t Have a Will in Connecticut?

Without a will, Connecticut’s intestate succession laws (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-437) decide what happens to your assets, and the results might surprise you.

If you have no children, your spouse inherits your entire estate. That sounds fine. But if you have children from a previous relationship, your spouse receives only half of your estate, with the other half going to those children. If you and your spouse share children together, your spouse receives the first $100,000 plus half of whatever remains, and your children divide the rest.

And if you die before updating a will you wrote before your marriage? Connecticut law (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-257a) offers some protection for a surviving spouse who was not named in a pre-existing will, but it is not a clean or predictable solution. A new will, drafted after your wedding, is almost always the better answer.

Beneficiary Designations: The Part Most Couples Miss

Your will does not control everything. Retirement accounts (401(k), individual retirement account), life insurance policies, and payable-on-death bank accounts pass directly to whoever is listed as beneficiary, regardless of what your will says.

If your individual retirement account still lists a former partner or a parent, that person inherits. Not your spouse. Marriage does not automatically update these designations.

Right now, log into each of your financial accounts and review every beneficiary designation. Update them to reflect your new life. This one step alone can prevent enormous conflict and confusion down the road.

Four Documents Every Connecticut Couple Should Have

A solid starter estate plan for newlyweds does not have to be complicated. At a minimum, consider these four documents:

Last Will and Testament. Directs how your assets are distributed, names an executor, and, when children come along, allows you to designate a guardian for them.

Durable Power of Attorney. Designates someone to manage your financial affairs if you become incapacitated. Connecticut requires specific statutory language for this document to be legally valid, so a do-it-yourself version often falls short.

Healthcare Proxy and Advance Directive. Connecticut recognizes both a living will and the appointment of a healthcare representative. These documents ensure your spouse (or another trusted person) can make medical decisions for you when you cannot.

HIPAA Authorization. Without this, your spouse may not be able to access your medical information in a crisis, even as your next of kin.

What About Taxes? Do Connecticut Newlyweds Need to Worry?

For most couples, the answer right now is no. Connecticut’s estate tax exemption currently sits at $15 million per person (2026), with a flat 12% tax rate on amounts above that threshold. There is no Connecticut inheritance tax.

One planning detail worth knowing early: Connecticut does not offer portability between spouses the way the federal system does. Each spouse holds a separate $15 million exemption. If your combined assets grow significantly over time, coordinating ownership around that distinction becomes important.

Connecticut is also the only state in the country that levies its own gift tax. If meaningful asset transfers become part of your future plans, that is worth building into your strategy from the start.

Start Simple. Start Soon.

You don’t need a complicated trust structure on your first anniversary. You need a will, updated beneficiary designations, a power of attorney, and a healthcare directive. That’s your foundation.

Think of it this way: you may have purchased wedding insurance to protect your big day. Estate planning protects everything that comes after it.

Ready to Build Your Estate Plan Together?

At The Prue Law Group, we help Connecticut couples start strong. Attorney Patrick Prue brings more than 20 years of experience as a Connecticut probate judge, giving our team a perspective on estate planning that goes beyond documents to the real-world outcomes families face. Whether you are just starting out or ready to put a full plan in place, we are here to guide you through every step.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation at any of our four conveniently located offices in Willimantic, Brooklyn, Coventry, and Colchester.

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Sources: 

• Connecticut General Statutes § 45a-437 (2024). Intestate succession: Distribution to spouse. Justia U.S. Law. https://law.justia.com/codes/connecticut/title-45a/chapter-802b/section-45a-437/
• Nolo. “Intestate Succession in Connecticut: Who Inherits When There’s No Will?” https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/intestate-succession-connecticut.html
• Cohen and Wolf, P.C. “Probate Rights of a Surviving Spouse in Connecticut.” https://www.cohenandwolf.com/publication-probate-rights-of-surviving-spouses-in-Connecticut
• Heritage Law. “What Happens When There Is No Will in Connecticut.” Updated August 2024. https://heritagelawct.com/what-happens-when-there-is-no-will-in-connecticut/
• Connecticut Department of Revenue Services. “Estate and Gift Tax Information.” https://portal.ct.gov/DRS/Individuals/Individual-Income-Tax-Portal/Estate-and-Gift-Taxes/Tax-Information
• SmartAsset. “Connecticut Estate Tax.” Updated January 2026. https://smartasset.com/estate-planning/connecticut-estate-tax
• The Prue Law Group. “5 Estate Planning Moves to Make in 2026: A Connecticut Guide.” December 2025. https://pruelawgroup.com/5-estate-planning-moves-2026-connecticut/
• Connecticut General Statutes § 45a-257a (2025). Failure of testator to provide for surviving spouse who married testator after execution of will. Connecticut Judicial Branch Law Libraries.

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The Prue Law Group has served eastern and central Connecticut since 1980, providing comprehensive business law, estate planning, probate, and elder law services. Our team’s deep local knowledge and specialized expertise help business owners protect what matters most. AI may have been used for the initial research and drafting of the article. This content is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, please contact our office for a consultation.