Marriage
What does marriage mean?
Marriage means entering into a legal commitment with another person. Marriage includes, among other things, mutual obligations such as sharing financial resources, supporting each other, making joint decisions and working towards common goals for your financial future.
To be officially married, you must have a marriage certificate. This is a formal document that you order from the Norwegian Tax Administration at least three months before the wedding. The certificate confirms the legal bond between you. The marriage certificate is necessary to document the marriage in various official contexts.
For a marriage to be valid in Norway, several requirements must be met. Both parties must be of legal age, neither of them can be married or separated from before, and the marriage must be entered into voluntarily, without pressure.
What does
Consider whether you want a prenuptial agreement
A prenuptial agreement is a contract between spouses that governs the financial arrangements in the marriage. Without a prenuptial agreement, Norwegian law will automatically regulate the distribution of assets and liabilities in the event of divorce or death. It is therefore advisable to establish a prenuptial agreement to protect both your individual and joint financial interests.
The content of a prenuptial agreement can vary based on the couple's finances and wishes. A typical prenuptial agreement should usually cover property arrangements, distribution in the event of divorce, inheritance rights, and any separate property when dividing assets.
As a DNB customer, you receive free access to a prenuptial agreement through Ally Advokater.
Certificate of No Impediment and Name Change
When you get married, you must submit a certificate of no impediment. This document confirms that you meet the requirements for marriage in Norway. If the certificate is approved, you can also apply for a name change during this process. Please note that if you have previously been married under foreign law, you will need a declaration of division of estate from the marriage.
Spouses have the right to change their surname to their spouse's surname, or to a combination of both surnames. To do this, you must complete a separate form and submit it to the National Population Register.
Financial benefits of getting married
Getting married provides several financial benefits, such as the right to inheritance, pension for the spouse, and favourable tax treatment of wealth and income. Spouses can also benefit from sharing loan agreements and insurance arrangements, which is often more advantageous than individual agreements
Loans
In a marriage, you can more easily take out loans together and be part of the same loan agreement. This provides opportunities to save money through a lower loan-to-value ratio, reduced interest rates and refinancing of expensive debt. Loans that can be advantageous for spouses are:
Get an overview of the loan options available to you.
Insurance
You can save money by combining insurance policies under the married couple. Before you enter into a marriage, you typically have many insurance policies each and pay for these separately. You can then find insurance arrangements that offer discounts and are often cheaper overall. Some insurance policies that can often be shared are:
See if you can find insurance policies where you can save money.
Tax return
When you enter into a marriage, there will be changes in how you complete and submit your tax return. In a marriage, you can choose how to allocate income and deductions in the tax return between yourselves. Usually, the tax settlement will be the same, but in some cases, spouses may receive a lower combined tax.
Get tips and advice on how you can submit your tax return jointly.
It is wise to seek DNB Legal guidance before you get married
It is important to be aware that marriage entails legal rights and responsibilities. During the course of life, situations may arise where one party becomes incapacitated for work, passes away, or is no longer able to safeguard their financial interests.
To ensure that your wishes and needs are protected, it is recommended to establish a prenuptial agreement and a will. A prenuptial agreement can regulate the distribution of assets between spouses, whilst a will ensures that your wishes are followed upon death. As a DNB customer, you receive included DNB Legal assistance and help to establish Prenuptial agreement and will at Ally Advokater.