diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 7d98173a..7e4402d4 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@
 # Ignore Jetbrains IDEs
 .idea
 
+# Ignore VS Code
+.vscode
+
 # Ignore macOS specific files
 */.DS_Store
 .DS_Store
diff --git a/app/controllers/registrations_controller.rb b/app/controllers/registrations_controller.rb
index 886962e3..1071f0f6 100644
--- a/app/controllers/registrations_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/registrations_controller.rb
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ class RegistrationsController < ApplicationController
     @user.family = family
 
     if @user.save
+      Transaction::Category.create_default_categories(@user.family)
       login @user
       flash[:notice] = t(".success")
       redirect_to root_path
diff --git a/app/models/family.rb b/app/models/family.rb
index e514a783..e69620fc 100644
--- a/app/models/family.rb
+++ b/app/models/family.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ class Family < ApplicationRecord
   has_many :users, dependent: :destroy
   has_many :accounts, dependent: :destroy
   has_many :transactions, through: :accounts
+  has_many :transaction_categories, dependent: :destroy, class_name: "Transaction::Category"
 
   def net_worth
     accounts.active.sum("CASE WHEN classification = 'asset' THEN balance ELSE -balance END")
diff --git a/app/models/transaction.rb b/app/models/transaction.rb
index ed884dde..4ffa367d 100644
--- a/app/models/transaction.rb
+++ b/app/models/transaction.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 class Transaction < ApplicationRecord
   belongs_to :account
+  belongs_to :category, optional: true
 
   after_commit :sync_account
 
diff --git a/app/models/transaction/category.rb b/app/models/transaction/category.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..270accd2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/transaction/category.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+class Transaction::Category < ApplicationRecord
+  has_many :transactions
+  belongs_to :family
+
+  before_update :clear_internal_category, if: :name_changed?
+
+  DEFAULT_CATEGORIES = [
+    { internal_category: "income", color: "#fd7f6f" },
+    { internal_category: "food_and_drink", color: "#7eb0d5" },
+    { internal_category: "entertainment", color: "#b2e061" },
+    { internal_category: "personal_care", color: "#bd7ebe" },
+    { internal_category: "general_services", color: "#ffb55a" },
+    { internal_category: "auto_and_transport", color: "#ffee65" },
+    { internal_category: "rent_and_utilities", color: "#beb9db" },
+    { internal_category: "home_improvement", color: "#fdcce5" }
+  ]
+
+  def self.create_default_categories(family)
+    if family.transaction_categories.size > 0
+      raise ArgumentError, "Family already has some categories"
+    end
+
+    family_id = family.id
+    categories = self::DEFAULT_CATEGORIES.map { |c| {
+      name: I18n.t("transaction.default_category.#{c[:internal_category]}"),
+      internal_category: c[:internal_category],
+      color: c[:color],
+      family_id:
+    } }
+    self.insert_all(categories)
+  end
+
+  private
+
+  def clear_internal_category
+    self.internal_category = nil
+  end
+end
diff --git a/config/locales/models/transaction/en.yml b/config/locales/models/transaction/en.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8e71e17b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/locales/models/transaction/en.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+en:
+  transaction:
+    default_category:
+      auto_and_transport: Auto & Transport
+      entertainment: Entertainment
+      food_and_drink: Food & Drink
+      general_services: General Services
+      home_improvement: Home Improvement
+      income: Income
+      personal_care: Personal Care
+      rent_and_utilities: Rent & Utilities
diff --git a/db/migrate/20240307082827_create_transaction_categories.rb b/db/migrate/20240307082827_create_transaction_categories.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..870dbd70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20240307082827_create_transaction_categories.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+class CreateTransactionCategories < ActiveRecord::Migration[7.2]
+  def change
+    create_table :transaction_categories, id: :uuid do |t|
+      t.string "name", null: false
+      t.string "color", default: "#6172F3", null: false
+      t.string "internal_category"
+      t.references :family, null: false, foreign_key: true, type: :uuid
+
+      t.timestamps
+    end
+
+    add_reference :transactions, :category, foreign_key: { to_table: :transaction_categories }, type: :uuid
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index fbd2e521..a192a46a 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 #
 # It's strongly recommended that you check this file into your version control system.
 
-ActiveRecord::Schema[7.2].define(version: 2024_03_06_193345) do
+ActiveRecord::Schema[7.2].define(version: 2024_03_07_082827) do
   # These are extensions that must be enabled in order to support this database
   enable_extension "pgcrypto"
   enable_extension "plpgsql"
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema[7.2].define(version: 2024_03_06_193345) do
     t.decimal "converted_balance", precision: 19, scale: 4, default: "0.0"
     t.string "converted_currency", default: "USD"
     t.string "status", default: "OK"
-    t.virtual "classification", type: :string, as: "\nCASE\n    WHEN ((accountable_type)::text = ANY (ARRAY[('Account::Loan'::character varying)::text, ('Account::Credit'::character varying)::text, ('Account::OtherLiability'::character varying)::text])) THEN 'liability'::text\n    ELSE 'asset'::text\nEND", stored: true
+    t.virtual "classification", type: :string, as: "\nCASE\n    WHEN ((accountable_type)::text = ANY ((ARRAY['Account::Loan'::character varying, 'Account::Credit'::character varying, 'Account::OtherLiability'::character varying])::text[])) THEN 'liability'::text\n    ELSE 'asset'::text\nEND", stored: true
     t.boolean "is_active", default: true, null: false
     t.index ["accountable_type"], name: "index_accounts_on_accountable_type"
     t.index ["family_id"], name: "index_accounts_on_family_id"
@@ -198,6 +198,16 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema[7.2].define(version: 2024_03_06_193345) do
     t.index ["token"], name: "index_invite_codes_on_token", unique: true
   end
 
+  create_table "transaction_categories", id: :uuid, default: -> { "gen_random_uuid()" }, force: :cascade do |t|
+    t.string "name", null: false
+    t.string "color", default: "#6172F3", null: false
+    t.string "internal_category"
+    t.uuid "family_id", null: false
+    t.datetime "created_at", null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at", null: false
+    t.index ["family_id"], name: "index_transaction_categories_on_family_id"
+  end
+
   create_table "transactions", id: :uuid, default: -> { "gen_random_uuid()" }, force: :cascade do |t|
     t.string "name"
     t.date "date", null: false
@@ -206,7 +216,9 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema[7.2].define(version: 2024_03_06_193345) do
     t.uuid "account_id", null: false
     t.datetime "created_at", null: false
     t.datetime "updated_at", null: false
+    t.uuid "category_id"
     t.index ["account_id"], name: "index_transactions_on_account_id"
+    t.index ["category_id"], name: "index_transactions_on_category_id"
   end
 
   create_table "users", id: :uuid, default: -> { "gen_random_uuid()" }, force: :cascade do |t|
@@ -233,7 +245,9 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema[7.2].define(version: 2024_03_06_193345) do
 
   add_foreign_key "account_balances", "accounts", on_delete: :cascade
   add_foreign_key "accounts", "families"
+  add_foreign_key "transaction_categories", "families"
   add_foreign_key "transactions", "accounts", on_delete: :cascade
+  add_foreign_key "transactions", "transaction_categories", column: "category_id"
   add_foreign_key "users", "families"
   add_foreign_key "valuations", "accounts", on_delete: :cascade
 end
diff --git a/lib/tasks/demo_data.rake b/lib/tasks/demo_data.rake
index c4bd0c05..fc467025 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/demo_data.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/demo_data.rake
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ namespace :demo_data do
 
     puts "Reset user: #{user.email} with family: #{family.name}"
 
+    Transaction::Category.create_default_categories(family)
 
     checking = Account.find_or_create_by(name: "Demo Checking") do |a|
       a.family = family
diff --git a/test/controllers/registrations_controller_test.rb b/test/controllers/registrations_controller_test.rb
index cbf3b6c4..bd4b262a 100644
--- a/test/controllers/registrations_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/controllers/registrations_controller_test.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ class RegistrationsControllerTest < ActionDispatch::IntegrationTest
     assert_response :success
   end
 
-  test "create" do
+  test "create redirects to correct URL" do
     post registration_url, params: { user: {
       email: "john@example.com",
       password: "password",
@@ -15,6 +15,15 @@ class RegistrationsControllerTest < ActionDispatch::IntegrationTest
     assert_redirected_to root_url
   end
 
+  test "create seeds default transaction categories" do
+    assert_difference "Transaction::Category.count", Transaction::Category::DEFAULT_CATEGORIES.size do
+      post registration_url, params: { user: {
+      email: "john@example.com",
+      password: "password",
+      password_confirmation: "password" } }
+    end
+  end
+
   test "create when hosted requires an invite code" do
     in_hosted_app do
       assert_no_difference "User.count" do
diff --git a/test/fixtures/transaction/categories.yml b/test/fixtures/transaction/categories.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ad3144d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/transaction/categories.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+income:
+  name: Income
+  internal_category: income
+  color: "#fd7f6f"
+  family: dylan_family
+
+food_and_drink:
+  name: Food & Drink
+  internal_category: food_and_drink
+  family: dylan_family
diff --git a/test/fixtures/transactions.yml b/test/fixtures/transactions.yml
index 9cccabb6..c7859ac0 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/transactions.yml
+++ b/test/fixtures/transactions.yml
@@ -4,12 +4,14 @@ checking_one:
   date: <%= 5.days.ago.to_date %>
   amount: 10
   account: checking
+  category: food_and_drink
 
 checking_two:
   name: Chipotle
   date: <%= 12.days.ago.to_date %>
   amount: 30
   account: checking
+  category: food_and_drink
 
 checking_three:
   name: Amazon
@@ -22,6 +24,7 @@ checking_four:
   date: <%= 22.days.ago.to_date %>
   amount: -1075
   account: checking
+  category: income
 
 checking_five:
   name: Netflix
@@ -35,12 +38,14 @@ savings_one:
   date: <%= 5.days.ago.to_date %>
   amount: -200
   account: savings_with_valuation_overrides
+  category: income
 
 savings_two:
   name: Check Deposit
   date: <%= 12.days.ago.to_date %>
   amount: -50
   account: savings_with_valuation_overrides
+  category: income
 
 savings_three:
   name: Withdrawal
@@ -53,6 +58,7 @@ savings_four:
   date: <%= 29.days.ago.to_date %>
   amount: -500
   account: savings_with_valuation_overrides
+  category: income
 
 # Credit card account transactions
 credit_card_one:
@@ -60,12 +66,14 @@ credit_card_one:
   date: <%= 5.days.ago.to_date %>
   amount: 10
   account: credit_card
+  category: food_and_drink
 
 credit_card_two:
   name: Chipotle
   date: <%= 12.days.ago.to_date %>
   amount: 30
   account: credit_card
+  category: food_and_drink
 
 credit_card_three:
   name: Amazon
diff --git a/test/models/family_test.rb b/test/models/family_test.rb
index 7db5ea75..b0e132d4 100644
--- a/test/models/family_test.rb
+++ b/test/models/family_test.rb
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ class FamilyTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     end
   end
 
+  test "should destroy dependent transaction categories" do
+    assert_difference("Transaction::Category.count", -@family.transaction_categories.count) do
+      @family.destroy
+    end
+  end
+
   test "should calculate total assets" do
     assert_equal BigDecimal("25550"), @family.assets
   end
diff --git a/test/models/transaction/category_test.rb b/test/models/transaction/category_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..473ef913
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/models/transaction/category_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+require "test_helper"
+
+class Transaction::CategoryTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
+  def setup
+    @family = families(:dylan_family)
+  end
+
+  test "create_default_categories should generate categories if none exist" do
+    @family.accounts.destroy_all
+    @family.transaction_categories.destroy_all
+    assert_difference "Transaction::Category.count", Transaction::Category::DEFAULT_CATEGORIES.size do
+      Transaction::Category.create_default_categories(@family)
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "create_default_categories should raise when there are existing categories" do
+    assert_raises(ArgumentError) do
+      Transaction::Category.create_default_categories(@family)
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "updating name should clear the internal_category field" do
+    category = Transaction::Category.take
+    assert_changes "category.reload.internal_category", to: nil do
+      category.update_attribute(:name, "new name")
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "updating other field than name should not clear the internal_category field" do
+    category = Transaction::Category.take
+    assert_no_changes "category.reload.internal_category" do
+      category.update_attribute(:color, "#000")
+    end
+  end
+end