What's in a Name?



"What's in a Name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." - William Shakespeare

 



Keeping your last name? Hyphenating? Changing your last name? Assuming an all new identity? The last option may be a little extreme, and would certainly involve a lot more work than we are going to cover in this blog post, but if you are considering changing your last name after tying the knot, here's what you need to know!

You need your marriage license, before you change your name. Click Here for details on how to get your license. Your license will either be mailed to you or you can call the clerk's office where it was filed. (The Knot)

Fill out an application for a new Social Security card (you can do this by visiting the Social Security website).

Change your Driver's License. Your local DMV can help you with this, but you will need to have your old license, your marriage license, and your NEW Social Security card with you.

After you've done these official things - you'll also need to inform the following organizations/people of your name change:

- Bank Accounts
- Passport Office (This update may take 4-6 weeks, so keep that in mind if you're planning to travel)
- Employers/Payroll
- Facebook (You know it's not official until you've done that!)
- Electric and other utilities
- Schools/Alumni Associations
- Credit Cards
- Doctors' Offices
- Mortgage Company
- Voter Registration
- Investment Accounts
- Attorney (for legal documents)