legal name change

Looking for name change advice or some tips for newlywed life? The MissNowMrs experts have created state-specific name change articles and checklists for you. We’ve chronicled our recommendations for how to travel while changing your name AND how to handle voting during the transition.

We’ve also compiled our best guidance for how to handle difficult sister in laws, holidays as newlyweds, the ever-annoying baby questions, and much more. Why? Because, while we are name change experts, we’re also newlywed wives, moms, and sisters.

We hope our name change advice articles help smooth your transition to your new name, and a whole new phase of life. Congratulations and best wishes from the entire MissNowMrs team!

How to Change Your Name

Wondering how to change your name? It’s not something anyone thinks about until they need to do it. As name-change experts, we’re happy to demystify the process for you. There are several life events that trigger a name change, like marriage, divorce, and adoption. All three of these variations use the same legal paperwork, but the supporting documents are all different.

Married Name Change

If you’re changing your name after marriage, you will need a certified marriage certificate. It is a legal document signed by your officiant and then filed with the county clerk’s office after your marriage. Your certified marriage certificate is the legal proof of your marriage. Typically it arrives in the mail 2 weeks after your ceremony.

You will need to file the SS-5 form for your new Social Security Card, the DS-11, DS-82, or DS-5504 for your new U.S. passport. You will also need to file forms for your new state driver’s license and voter registration. All of these forms must be accompanied by your certified marriage certificate.

If you’re a newlywed, the MissNowMrs app and online service were created to streamline the 13 hour married name change process into minutes. They auto-completing all of the necessary forms and notification letters. You can also use our complete married name change check list to keep track of your progress!

Help Me Change My Name

Divorce

Changing your name after divorce is a similar process. You will file the exact same forms with Social Security, the State Department, the DMV and Voter Registration Bureau. However, instead of using a marriage certificate as your legal name change document, you will need you use a name-change order within your divorce decree.

A name change order is a sentence or paragraph stating that you will be returning to your maiden name. Even if you are unsure if you will return to your maiden name, we advise having your lawyer add a name change order to your divorce decree. This ensures that you have the option to legally change back to your maiden name. But, does not require you to make that change within any time frame. If you’re divorced, GetYourNameBack.com is an online name service designed to help you get your name back quickly and easily.

Legal

This is where things get confusing. Both marriage and divorce name change are legal name changes. They are achieved by following the married or divorced legal paperwork filing process. Non-wedding/divorce name changes are labeled legal name changes. Examples of these include changing a child’s last name after adoption, or an adult changing their name not due to marriage or divorce.

To file for a legal name change, a legal name change order must be acquired. This process includes petitioning the court system for a legal name change order. Being fingerprinted. And, running ads declaring your intention of changing your name in local newspapers.

We highly recommend LegalZoom’s services if you need to file for a legal name change order. Once you have that document, NameChangeNextStep.com is an online service that streamlines the paperwork and provides insider filing tips to save you time and stress.

Married Name Change: 3 Nuances Every Newlywed Needs to Know

Tis the season for weddings, followed by millions of brides changing their names. While it might seem like a simple process, married name change had a great deal of nuance. The MissNowMrs experts came up with the 3 name change nuances every newlywed needs to know.

Once a newlywed has decided they want to change their name after marriage, They need to choose the option that best suits their situation and personal style. Thankfully we created the Married Name Game for that! Next she has to file a series of state and federal forms to change to her new name, and then notify all of her creditors. Once again, we’ve got the solution: MissNowMrs.com. So where does name-change nuance come in?!

There are several nuances, or subtle differences, to the married name change process that make it different from the legal name change process. Read on for the big three…

1. Newlyweds cannot change their first name.

Using the married name-change process, women cannot change or even correct a mis-spelling of their first name. They can only use their certified marriage certificates to file for a change to their last names, and sometimes their middle names.

2. Brides cannot omit their middle name.

Women changing their names after marriage can take their maiden name as a middle name or as a second middle name in most states, but they cannot completely eliminate their middle name and just have their first name and new last name as their legal name.

3. Blending last names isn’t possible.

Unless the newlywed is a resident of California and wrote a blended* last name on the marriage license application, she/he cannot use the married name change process. In the 49 other states, taking a blended last name requires petitioning the court system for a legal name change order. *A blended last name is a mixture of both partners names. For example Faltrow.

Now that you know the nuances of name change, you can move forward with confidence. It’s a complicated process from emotions, to societal expectations, to the actual legal process, but don’t worry… the MissNowMrs team has your back! You can also reference our married name change checklist to understand each of the steps in your transition to Mrs!

Blending Last Names: The Inside Scoop on Unconventional Name Change

The concept of blending last names after marriage makes sense. You were two independent people with different lives and different names. As you marry, you begin to blend your lives, finances, goals, families, and dreams together. A blended last name is a tangible representation of your newly blendedness (yes I made that word up).

While a combined last name may seem like a great option as newlyweds, the government doesn’t agree. As a name change service, we know all about the red tape associated with legal married name change, but it isn’t common knowledge. So here’s the scoop.

California residents are the only engage people in the US that have the option to blend their last names using the married name change process. BUT both partners must write the new last name on their marriage license application. If you think of blending after your wedding… you’re out of luck. Make that one more reason to discuss name change before saying “I do.”

What if you don’t live in California and still want to blend your last names? Traditionally both partners have to petition the court system for a legal name change order. Those documents, once issued, will allow you both to go through the name-change process and change your names. It’s not fun, but it’s how it’s done.

I recently read an article about a newlywed couple in Brooklyn who combined their last names from Franklin and Reed to Franklin Reed. They petitioned the court prior to their wedding and the judge granted their request. They celebrated with the #FranklinReedNoHyphen hashtag at their wedding! This goes to prove that where there is a will, there is a way. Even in married name change!

Should you need help changing your name, the MissNowMrs App and service can save you 13 hours of hassle.

Photo credit: Rachel Kara