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If you’ve recently welcomed a child into your life, congratulations! This is one of the most beautiful and life-changing events you are sure to experience. You should be proud and excited for all that is to come as a new parent.

As you and your little one become settled post-delivery or adoption, you may start to have some questions: is my new child covered under my insurance? Do they have a Social Security number yet? Here is a checklist of some administrative tasks for your newborn that you should complete within the first few months of your child’s birth.

1. Apply for a Birth Certificate

Once your child is born, you’ll want to apply for their birth certificate. This is something that will be done through your state’s Office of Vital Records. As the parent or guardian, you’ll need to contact the Office through mail or online, or you can even stop by in person to request the copy.

Birth certificates are not issued by the hospital itself. The medical professionals at the hospital will report the details of the baby and parents through a Certificate of Live Birth, which is then given to the Office of Vital Records for generating the birth certificate itself. The hospital’s Certificate of Live Birth is not a legal or official record—it’s strictly to record the birth and for the hospital’s own record.

When requesting your child’s birth certificate, it’s a good idea to ask for extra copies. Your child will need this document for various milestones later in life. It’s also often a needed document for applications of other important documents, such as a passport.

2. Receive Your Child's Social Security Card

Your Social Security number is a nine-digit number that is broke into three parts: the area number (assigned to your geographic region), the group number, and the serial number. Social Security numbers were originally meant to track the revenue of U.S. workers, but have since become a common identifier for individuals for various purposes.

Fortunately, you can accomplish two tasks in one when your child is first born! As you complete the details for their birth certificate at the hospital, you will be asked if you want to apply for your child’s Social Security number. So long as you check this box, the card will be mailed to you by the Social Security Administration (SSA) within a few weeks.

You’re not out of luck if you miss this step! You can also apply at a local Social Security office. You’ll need to complete Form SS-5 and provide documents confirming your child’s name, age, and U.S. citizenship. If you opt to go this route, the process may take a bit longer as the SSA will need to confirm the birth record.

3. Add Your Baby to Your Health Insurance

Adding a little one to your family is considered a qualifying life event, which is an event that occurs in your life where you can make an update to your insurance coverage. This is known as a special enrollment period, and you’ll have a window of time for adding your child to your coverage. This time depends on your insurance plan, but is generally about a month or so from the birth date.

When you’re ready to add your baby, contact your insurance company to make the addition (or your employer if you’re on an employer-sponsored plan). This is a good task to complete once you have the birth certificate and Social Security number, as they will be needed. This is also a perfect time to review your coverage and make sure it’s still meeting your family’s needs.

It's important to note that adoption is also considered a qualifying life event, and the timeframe will still depend on your coverage. Once you’ve added your baby to your insurance, the coverage is retroactive. This means any medical expenses that occurred from their birth on are covered. With many doctor’s appointments on the horizon, you don’t want to miss the window to add your baby to your insurance plan!

4. Claim a Child Tax Credit on Your Income Tax Return

Welcoming your baby also makes you eligible to claim the Child Tax Credit. This credit applies to all qualified children who are under age 17 and have a valid Social Security number.

For 2024, parents qualified for the full Child Tax Credit so long as their annual income is not more than $400,000 if filing jointly. The income must not exceed $200,000 if filing separately. To claim this credit, you’ll need to complete Schedule 8812 (Credits for Qualifying Children and Other Dependents) and attach it to your annual tax return.

5. Apply for a Passport for Your Child

Even if you don’t have any international trips planned, it’s not a bad idea to apply for a passport for your baby! Children under 16 follow the same process when applying for a passport. You’ll need to complete Form DS-11, which can be found on the U.S. Department of State website, and also have your child’s birth certificate.

When applying for a passport, it’s crucial that both parents (when applicable) attend. You will need to have proof that you’re the child’s parent and show photo identification. Passports for minors (children under 16) are not renewable and expire after five years, so you will need to repeat this process as your child gets older.

6. Review Your Auto Insurance Coverage

Just like with your health insurance, bringing a newborn home is the perfect time to review your auto insurance coverage. Make sure your liability coverage matches what you’re comfortable with for your family, especially as you’ll have a new passenger with you. Likewise, you may consider a more family-friendly car or even qualify for a reduced mileage discount if you or your partner will be driving less.

While having a baby won’t necessarily bring down your premium on your auto insurance, these modifications could potentially qualify you for discounts, depending on your coverage.

Here at American Heritage, we’re proud to partner with Liberty Mutual Insurance presented by TruStage® Insurance. As a member, you can save and have the needed coverage for you and your family. Get a quote today.

7. Take a CPR/Choking Class for Your Newborn

It’s a good idea to take a course that teaches CPR, choking procedures, and other life-saving measures specifically for newborns. These can be done both in-person or online. The American Red Cross is a great resource and offers an online course in Child and Baby First-Aid that covers these emergencies.

8. Create a Will

If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to ensure you have a written will. Decide if you’d like to write a will yourself, or if you’re more comfortable working with an estate lawyer. There are plenty of online kits and tools you can purchase if you decide to take the task on yourself.

Your will should identify your assets and how they’re to be distributed amongst your beneficiaries. A beneficiary is someone you identify who will receive your assets once you’ve passed away. When it comes to your young children, you need to identify who is to take care of them in the event of a tragedy. Be sure to store your will in a safe place and revisit it regularly to make any updates or changes as needed.

9. Update Beneficiaries on Retirement and Other Bank Accounts

Similar to any updates you’d apply to your will, you also want to update beneficiary information for your retirement account and any other bank accounts. This lets the financial institutions know who will benefit from the funds and assets you have.

 If you maintain an IRA or other retirement account with us here at American Heritage, we manage your beneficiary information as part of your account. You can work with our Investment & Retirement Center* to make any necessary updates.

 When it comes to something like your checking or savings accounts, you’ll want to apply a Payable on Death (POD) designation. This tells the financial institution who the funds in your account should be going to. It also avoids probate, which is the legal period where assets are distributed upon an individual’s death.

10. Create Educational Savings for Your Child

While high school and college may seem years and years away, the truth is that time moves pretty fast! It’s never too early to get a head start on educational savings for your baby. Consider opening a 529 Plan, which is a tax-advantaged investment account that can be used for educational expenses.

 A 529 Plan doesn’t need to be restricted to college funds—a college savings 529 plan can be used for kindergarten through 12^th grade, in addition to college. The money can be used for tuition, books, room and board, and more. A 529 Plan also allows family members, such as aunts, uncles, and grandparents, to make contributions if they’d like to do so. 

You can speak with representatives in our Investment & Retirement Center* if you’re thinking a 529 Plan would be a good fit for your family.

Congratulations again on welcoming a new baby to your family! While these tasks may seem like a lot at first glance, follow each step-by-step and consider creating a new baby checklist to keep yourself on track. If you find yourself needing to update beneficiary information on your accounts or are considering future savings, we’re here to help. By completing these tasks, you’re setting both yourself and your little one up for future success!

_{The LPL Financial registered representative(s) associates with this website may discuss and/or transact business only with residents of the states in which they are properly registered or licensed. No offers may be made or accepted from any resident of any other state.}