If you’re interested in Social Security name change, you must have decided to change your name in some way after your marriage…so congratulations! The first step on you quest to become a Mrs. is to complete and file your SS-5 Social Security form. Many states require that you file your Social Security form 24 hours before changing your name on your driver’s license, or anything else. Other state offices must see your new married name on your Social Security card before they will file your other name-change forms. It’s very important to understand your state’s policies before you begin filing your forms, or you may end up making a very complicated process (married name-change) even more tedious!
- If you’ve dug through your files and safety deposit box and can’t find your Social Security card with your maiden name on it, don’t panic. One of the most common married name change misconceptions is that you will need your old Social Security card to file for you new one. The truth is…you don’t!
- You do need to find out your state’s policies on married name change. Some states recognize a woman’s right to change her middle name to her maiden name after marriage, and some do not. Depending on where you live, you may need to alter the married name you’d envisioned using, or contemplate a legal name change instead of a married name change to get the middle and last name combination you want. The Social Security office will allow you to change your middle name to your maiden name on your Social Security card regardless of your state of residency. The result? If you live in a state that does not allow middle name change due to marriage you will have one married name on your Social Security card and a different one on U.S. Passport, state driver’s license, mortgage…ect! The resulting complications and confusion these differences can cause are unbelievable.
- Most newlyweds are under the impression that they have to stand in an endless line at the Social Security office to file their name-change form and get their new Social Security card with their new married name. Guess what? You don’t! There is a mail-in filing option available for the SS-5 name change form. This option does involve sending some very important paperwork through the mail, so it is important to fully understand the process before you decide to take this route.
Now that you know the 3 things the Social Security office will never tell you, filing for your social security name change should go smoothly. Have you thought about filing all of your other name change forms?! If the entire married name change process seems overwhelming, again don’t panic! MissNowMrs is a married name change app and service designed to take newlyweds through ALL of the paperwork necessary to go from Miss to Mrs.!
Why spend hours trying to figure out this frustrating process when you could be focusing on the fun of being a newlywed? Let the MissNowMrs name change experts guide you through your married name change in half an hour!