The Dalmatian Guide To Changing Your Name | Weddingbee

Guess what I received in the mail yesterday? My new social security card! That?s right folks, I am officially a Mrs. And what am I going to do to celebrate? Well, I?m going to write this post, of course! Now let me be clear: when I say ?The Dalmatian Guide?? I do not mean to claim ownership. All of the helpful tips in this post are thanks to the incredible, amazing, crazy-organized Sister Dalmatian a.k.a. MOH A.

Knowing that I was crazy busy moving and starting a new job immediately after the honeymoon, Mama Dalmatian asked MOH A to share with me any tips she had about changing names since she went through the process a year ago. Now, most people would probably write up a quick email or have a quick phone conversation and share a thing or two about what they did. However, that is not MOH A?s style. So what did I receive in my inbox? Okay, I?ll stop making you answer questions. What I received in my inbox was a three page document perfectly outlining the steps to changing your name. So, here you have it?MOH A?s Guide to Changing Your Name (in true perfectionist style, this came to me personalized with links to our particular county clerk, etc., but for the sake of the wider audience I have edited it to be slightly more generic):

Step 1: Marriage Certificate

- Request a few copies of your marriage certificate from the county clerk. You really only need one or two, but maybe get three to be safe. (Note: for the Davidson County clerk we had to pay per copy, so we stuck with two copies).

Step 2: Social Security Administration

- General info on name-change here

- Bring a completed application + original certified copy of marriage license + two forms of ID (driver?s license, passport, birth certificate) to your local SSA office

- Once you have your new SS card or are in the system, move on to step three.

Step 3: Driver?s License

- Bring old license, marriage certificate, Social Security card/confirmation and checkbook.

- You may need proof of address if you are changing that too (electric bill, etc.).

- Bring your car title and registration with you and get the name changed on those too.

Step 4: Everything Else!

- Once you have your driver?s license, scan your marriage certificate and license (front and back). That way you can just print copies as you need them.

- From here on the order doesn?t matter much?do important things first to avoid confusion.

General Tips

- Decide first exactly what you want your full name to be and what you want on your IDs. There may be some mix-ups if you are using two middle names (i.e. middle name and maiden name), so just decide ahead of time and be consistent.

- Most places (except Social Security) don?t need an original marriage certificate, so don?t waste a certified one if they just ask for a copy.

- Figure out if you?re going to change your email address. If so, do that first and change your email and mailing address on everything at the same time that you do the name change.

- Usually you can do email/address changes online, but you often have to call or send a formal request letter (along with copies of your marriage certificate and new driver?s license) before they?ll change the name. Type up a standard letter with your info, then you can fill in the blanks and print, sign, and mail it out as needed.

- Before you deal with banks and credit cards, figure out what you and your spouse are doing with your finances (i.e. combining to joint accounts and credit cards, keeping your own, etc.). You may end up closing some accounts, so don?t bother with the name change on those. If you?re adding each other to your accounts, do it at the same time as the name change.

Places to Change Your Name

- Social Security Card

- Driver?s License

- Car title, registration and insurance

- Passport?this one?s a pain, you have to get pictures, fill out forms, and pay a fee

- Job?including tax forms, retirement accounts, other benefits

- Bank accounts (usually have to do this in person)?checking, savings, ATM card, checks

- Credit cards?don?t forget store cards (Macy?s, etc.)

- Stock accounts

- Health insurance (dental insurance, vision insurance, etc.)

- Professional licenses, professional societies/memberships, etc.

- Rental lease, electric, gas/heat, cable, internet, rental insurance

- Cell phone

- Voter registration?usually changing it at the DMV takes care of this, but varies by state

- Medical?doctor, dentist, ophthalmologist, gynecologist, pharmacy

- Airline frequent flyer programs

- Memberships/reward programs?AAA auto club, Costco, Barnes & Noble, etc.

- Magazine subscriptions

- Schools?alumni associations, etc.

- Websites?Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.

Whew! So, raise your hand if you love MOH A and her awesome guide to changing your name! It is definitely an overwhelming task, and even though we have been married for over a month I have just finished Step 2. But having all the steps so neatly laid out ahead of me makes me significantly less stressed about what else I need to do. So, thank you, thank you, thank you, MOH A. You seriously rock.

I hope you find these tips as helpful as I did!

Did you benefit from someone else?s organization?

Are you changing your name when you get married?

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