Options When You Need to Change Name to Married Name

It is always exciting to change name to married name immediately after your wedding. This helps you adapt to the new status easily and appreciate the bond you share. It sounds easy to just adapt a new name. However, the process is not that simple or straightforward. Here are the options you need to consider when to ensure that your decision is satisfactory into the future.

Maintain Your Original Name

This is the easiest and most convenient option. Maintain the name you were given at birth and that which is captured in all your documents. This will save you the trouble of endless paperwork and trips to the Social Security as well as Department of Motor Vehicle offices. It allows you to enjoy your post marriage days.

This is a viable option for people who have built professional careers using their names. For instance, if you are a doctor who is known by your name, migrating your credentials when you change name to married name will be a challenge. However, if you do not change the name, this hustle will be eliminated. It enables you to maintain a professional appeal without having to antagonize your customers to adapt the new identity. If you are following a family lineage of achievements in sports, medicine, art, etc, the linkage is likely to get lost. Maintain the original name for own benefit and to avoid a lot of disruption.

Adapt the Name of Your Spouse

It is traditionally common for a lady to take the name of the husband after marriage. In fact, this is an option taken by many people. To effectively adapt the name of your spouse, you should approach the department of Social Security in your area. The document that is required by the Social Security office is a certified copy of your marriage certificate. You should obtain the certified copy from the office or officer who officiated your marriage. You do not need to visit the office in person. Request to have the certificate mailed. It helps to obtain several certified copies because you can lounge your request on several offices simultaneously. The fees paid to obtain certified copies depend on your state. It will also depend on whether you will collect it or have it mailed. There are people in the society like service men whose processing fees are waived.

Name change will take place at the Social Security office. Though the services are free of charge in most cases, you are required to fill Form SS-5 which captures your personal details. Should you choose to mail the form, you must include a certified copy of your marriage certificate and ID. If you got married more than two years ago, the officer might require you to provide additional details. A new SS card will be delivered in two weeks if there are no issues with your application. All the documents you provide will be returned.

Notify all the relevant persons in your life about the change in name. They include your employer, banker, Posta, utility service provider, etc. The Department of Motor Vehicle should be notified to enable processing of a new driver’s license with the new name. This is a visit you might have to make in person. Take the opportunity to update vehicle ownership and registration details, voter details and maybe the image on your license. The new license will cost you several dollars depending on your state. Only a few states allow a man to follow the maiden name change procedure. In almost all state, a man is required to follow the legal name change which involves filing a petition in court.

Take the Name Legally But Maintain Your Original Name Professionally
Friends will know about your new status and will most likely refer to you by it. However, it will be challenging to inform all your professional associates about the change in identity and make them understand. The solution becomes to maintain your professional identity despite changing your name legally. This gives you a cushion to gradually and continuously adapt the new identity.

This is a bit challenging and might be confusing even to you. People might come looking for you in the office only to learn that you operate using a different name. The confusion only lasts a while and then disappears. People slowly adapt to the new name and identity if you allow them to do so.

The option of adding the name other than changing it is also viable. Even when associates and clients realize that you have a new name, they will recognize it from your many names. To avoid the hustle when you want to change name to married name, enlist the services of a professional agent. At a small fee, your name will be changed in all documents and institutions, allowing you to enjoy the new identity.

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