Married Name Change
Name change after marriage is a decision that creates a large number of questions. What are your name change options? How do you change your name? What forms are needed? How long does the process take?
The MissNowMrs name change experts are here to help you understand everything related to name change after marriage. We’re happy to leverage our expertise from assisting over 500,000 newlyweds over the last 14 years!
Name Change After Marriage Options
The first step of any name change is understanding your available options. The most conventional option is replacing your maiden name with your spouse’s name. Followed by taking two last names, with or without a hyphen. You can also take your maiden name as a middle name in most states, or even add your maiden name a second middle name.
Interested in blending your last names? This new trend is only possible in California, if you write the new blended name on your marriage license application. If you’re both set on blended last names, and don’t live in California you will need to petition the U.S. court system for a legal name change order.
How To Change Your Name
Getting married doesn’t automatically change your name, even if you write your married name on your marriage certificate. To legally change to your new name you will need to file a series of federal and state forms. The document you use as legal proof of your marriage is your certified marriage certificate.
Once you have your certified marriage certificate, you can begin the filing process. We highly recommend requesting 2-3 additional certificates to give yourself the opportunity to file multiple forms simultaneously.
Filing with the federal agencies is the next step in changing your name after marriage. These include the Social Security Administration, State Department, IRS, and U.S. Postal Service. Each office has its own form and filing process. To learn more about the federal name change process, read our free step-by-step guide!
Next, start filing with your state-level government agencies. These include the Motor Vehicle Association and Voter Registration Bureau. Again, each state’s offices have different forms and filing requirements. It is worthwhile to understand their processes to avoid wasting hours standing in long office lines.
Finally, it is time to notify your employer and creditors of your new married name. Some banks and employers require you to file in-person and bring your certified marriage certificate. Others have an online form. When it comes to updating your name on your credit cards, insurances, mortgages, leases, utilities, student loans, memberships, and social media accounts there is no set process. It can be very overwhelming and time consuming to figure out exactly how to change your across all of these entities.
There isn’t an official name change notification or announcement. So, once you receive all of your new forms of identification, your name is officially changed!
The Name Change Solution
Shouldn’t there be an easy way to change your name after marriage? Enter the MissNowMrs app and online name change service. Our founder got fed up with the all of the confusion, red tape and bureaucracy that create the hassle of name change. So, she built the solution! Our app and online service condense the tedious 13 hour process into a matter of minutes. There’s no need to stress, simply choose to change your name the easy way.