Changing Name After Marriage

Most people will agree with me when I say that getting married is one of the most important decisions that a person takes in his/her life. This is because it is a step that has the potential to alter or change one's life altogether. Right from the wedding dress to the house that the couple will live after their wedding, is decided with utmost care. An important decision that the person has to make along with the other arrangements for the wedding is to choose between one's maiden name and spouse's name. Though traditionally, women are expected to change their name (surname) from their maiden name to their husband's name, many women nowadays opt to keep their maiden name after marriage, mostly for professional reasons.

Apart from this, there are women who adopt their husband's last name and keep their maiden name as their second name. Also, there are couples who make a new name with both their names, by separating the names with a hyphen. Whatever it is, if you wish to change your name after marriage, there are certain things that you have to know. So, let us take a look at the process that you will have to follow to change your name after marriage.

How to Change Name After Marriage
Though women usually feel obliged to get their name changed after marriage, they must understand that it is not a compulsion. Moreover, they are under no legal obligation to do so too. It has been observed that women, who do not share their husband's surname, may face problems while dealing with the household business. Sometimes, women keep their maiden name for professional reasons and adopt their husband's name in the social circle. However, the act of changing one's name after tying the knot is no longer something that only women do. Rather, there are quite a few men who readily agree to adopt the name of their wife after marriage for various reasons. However, the task of changing one's name is not an easy one, rather there are lot of legal steps that one has to go through to change their name finally. Here is a list of steps that you will have to take.

Step #01
Before you start the process of changing your name, you have to obtain the official copy of your marriage certificate. Once you get the certificate, make sure to get 15-20 photocopies of the original as most government offices and companies will ask for it for their records. After you have this document, you have to start applying for a new social security card. Usually, people who change their names have to fill the SS-5 form which will be available at the Social Security Administration Office. By doing this, you can get a new social security card with your name, while retaining your old security number. Apart from the marriage certificate, you may also have to take some other documents too. Once you have submitted your name change form at the Social Security Office, the officials will send a notice to the Internal Revenue Service informing the same.

Step #02
After you receive your new social security card, the second step is to change your name in your Driver's License. Most probably, you will have to reapply for your license and for this, you have to submit the basic application form. Some of the documents that you have to submit with the form include a copy of your marriage certificate, social security card and your old driver's license. Sometimes, the agency will ask you to submit a new photograph and also, to update all the other information like change of address, phone number, etc.

Step #03
Once you have applied for a new driver's license, it is time to notify your employer about the name change. This is necessary so that the company can update the changes in their records like your business card, insurance as well as retirement benefits. Apart from this, some other places where you have to inform about your name change include banks, credit card companies, cell phone company, doctors, insurance companies, student loans, utility companies, passport, club memberships, etc.

Finally, it is a personal decision to change names after marriage and one can do what one thinks is the best. However, if you decide to do so, make sure that you follow the process correctly, so that you do not have to face any kind of problems in the future.