Changing Your Name After Marriage

Getting married means making changes to a lot of things, including your last name. In order to change one’s name legally, you must contact several people in addition to filling out a large amount of paperwork. The following is a generic walk-through instructing you on how to go about changing your name after marriage.

Inform your family members. Just let your family and friends know of your plans, after all they may want to have the wedding gift engraved with your initials. They will need to know what names or initials belong on the gifts and the cards.

Before the wedding. Update as many non-legal documents or companies with your new married name before the wedding. You don’t want to be dealing with updating everything after you get back from your honeymoon. Forms such as those for accumulating points, will be easy to change. Also in the workplace, you need to let them know so they can order new business cards, nameplate, and change the name on your company email.

Other companies will need legal proof (e.g. such as with credit cards) so they will have to wait until after the wedding. Make wedding related bookings in your own name. You may be keen to use your new married name as soon as you’re married, but you will still need to use your maiden name for some things. In particular, you should make your honeymoon reservations in your maiden name (e.g. flight and hotel) so that you won’t have any issues with your passport and other ID that is not yet updated. Don’t worry, hubby will understand.

Inform government departments of your name change after the marriage. When you get back from the honeymoon is over, you have to start contacting government departments with your new name. A new social security card is the best place to start. The Social Security website has forms you can download. Visit the DMV, taking along a copy of your marriage certificate and new social security card. Have the bank and other financials update your name. Don’t forget that name changes must be updated on your house ownership deed, mortgage (or rental agreement), property taxes, all utilities, phone and cable, retirement funds, credit cards, bank accounts and insurance (house, vehicle, health and life insurance).

It is an efficient idea to type up a letter informing of a name change due to marriage. Include your old name and Social Security Number, along with your new married name and new SSN. Xerox a few copies of your marriage certificate. This way you will have as many as you need to fax or post to people. Also find out about any costs related to the name change. Within a couple of months, your name should be legally changed on all of your documents.