After your wedding, you may decide to take the last name of your partner…but how does this process even begin?
First, it is not nearly as daunting as many think. Let’s begin by throwing out a common myth: No, you do not need a lawyer! There are several name change services out there that make this process as easy as can be, including MissNowMrs, Hitch Switch, and Legal Zoom. These services take a lot of the stress out of the process by putting together all of the documentation you need and auto-populating your info onto all of the forms, all in one place. From your Social Security card, to bank accounts, mortgages, the USPS, your passport and driver’s licenses…it’s easy to forget one, but these places help make sure that doesn’t happen.
The biggest mistake people can make is notifying all of these people/businesses before they have the official paperwork in their hand. This can cause logistical problems in a couple of situations. For instance, if you are traveling abroad and your ticket states your new last name but your passport has your maiden name, you can say bye bye to that trip to Bora Bora! Understandably, airlines are very strict about this as their employees are constantly on the look out for fraudulent behavior. Make sure everything is done at the appropriate time (with all the appropriate places). This is where the name changing services really help, by suggesting the best place to start in the process and walking you through it. Once you have your name legally changed, don’t forget to update your email address as well!
Finally, state laws do vary and some require that you file your name change in court. Do your research on your state! Changing your name is quite easy, especially with the modern technology that makes this process easier. Get excited! Start practicing your new signature today. 🙂
~Blog by Bridget
~Photos by Tahiry Humrich Photography & Rockwell Images
