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It depends on the state where you live which is first. Either you go to the SSA or DMV. In Colorado, I went to the SSA first. Then once you have the new card, you can change your name with the DMV. Then you have your new license to change all your bank accounts and other accounts.
I'm in the process of changing my name as we speak. The first step is get more then one copy of your Marriage License. That way you can send originals if asked. Second get a copy of your Birth Certificate. You can at least get that now. Then go to the Social Security Office. Be prepared to wait in long lines. They will give you a receipt and my card arrived within 1 week. Then go get the Driver's License. You'll need the marriage license and SSN card and Birthcert for this. After that comes in then slowly start changing everything else. I called credit card company of one of my credit cards and changed that via the phone. I'm leaving one credit card in my maiden name until I get a little further along with everything. I'm also holding off on my Passport because I have a trip next month and if I don't get my Driver's License back in time at least I'll have the Passport. You can get your paperwork online for the Passport. It will tell you what docs to have/send in.
My mortage and taxes on the house will be my last step. I've started changing over the utlities too. Some are easy change them online, others I had to go in person to change. All wanted copies of Driver's License and Marriage License. I have a temporary Driver's ID right now and that has worked so far.
I'm also working on changing my information with Southwest Airlines. They take 3 weeks to process once they get your paperwork in the mail. Hence why I'm waiting on changing the passport. That way I at least will have some from of ID with maiden name still.
BTW, I only had one copy of the marriage license. I will have to send it in when I get a new passport but they will return it. I wasn't able to change my information for my mortgage because I would have to change my name on the title and I didn't want to pay a fee for that. I'm cheap!
Oh my gosh.. great advice guys, thanks. So you get your marriage license, you sign it, then do you take it back to file it? Is that where you get copies.
I have one copy of my birth certificate.. Can I just make a copy, or do they have to be certified copies?
I will get on those at once.
MissAsB - I'm in Ohio, not sure of what rules we have here, I'll look into it ASAP.
Thanks!
MissAsB, is it OK to leave your madien name on the mortgage, even if you have changed it everywhere else! Ah the things I'm unsure of!!!
Oh forgot, car and home insurance. I emailed my agent and she took care of changing them both for me at one time. I haven't done bank accounts yet because we plan to merge both accounts at one time. I have one vendor from the wedding left to pay and after we get that done then we'll merge. As for the 401K and such I haven't even contacted them to find out what to do. I'll probably do them after I get the utlities taken care of.
The officiant should be the one to send in the marriage license and then it would be sent back to you. I doubt you are going to need to send anyone an official copy of your birth certificate. The only person I showed that to was the DMV and they didn't even really need it.
I don't see any problem with keeping your maiden name on things. You will still have your birth certificate and marriage license to show to people later if they for some reason don't believe that you are the same person who changed your name.
In NC the first step is to get a new SS card. You basically can't do much without it. Then a new drivers license. Also, get multiple copies of your marriage certificate. Several places wouldn't let me do anything without that.
Here's the order I went in:
SS Card
Major Credit Cards (while I was waiting on my new card)
Renters Insurance
Work email
Work - everything else (my job changes all our insurance/401k for us thank God!)
Bank accounts
Minor credit cards
Utilities (they're all in my name)
Drivers License (had to wait on my SS card to come in the mail)
Car Title
Each state is different. Here in PA, you must get the new SSN first. I did that after returning from the honeymoon. Then I went to the DMV with a temporary SSN paper with the new name that they gave me so I didn't have to wait for the new card in the mail.
Then I went straight to my bank, then changed health ins., life ins and new W4 at work. Then i just picked up the phone and called everyone else. They all asked (if needed) for me to just fax my marriage cert. That's it. I was done in three days or so. Only reason I need to mail it in will be for the passport (only thing I haven't done yet).
And I'm still using checks with my maiden name on them and no one has shot me. I didn't want to waste them.
Ella1978- I am guessing that you live in Cuyahoga county like me because of your signature. Anyways, if you do, google the cuyahoga country probate court website, there is information on there. http://probate.cuyahogacounty.us/faq/faq_marriage.htm
Basically, you have to obtain your marriage license before the wedding and it must be signed by your officiant/priest etc within 60 days. The officiant will mail the signed license back to the county and then the county will send you your marriage certificate. Once you have your marriage certificate you should go to social security to have your name changed, then the DMV and so forth. Good luck!
@MissAsB That's another thing I decided not to change-checks! So you haven't had any problems? I use checks so rarely, since I do everything online and with debit/credit cards...I thought it would be silly to get new checks. Glad to hear you haven't had trouble!
and just for laughs here are the official (and may I say antiquated-syphilis?!) legal requirements for obtaining a marriage license in Cuyahoga county Ohio:
Who Won't A Marriage License Be Issued To?
Persons nearer of kin than second cousins (O.R.C. 3101.01), or when either of the applicants is under the influence of an intoxicating liquor or controlled substance or is infected with syphilis in a form that is communicable or likely to become communicable (O.R.C. 3101.06).
@Jenn23: No problems at all with the checks! I barely use them myself either (need them every month for rent though). Actually the only place I had a problem at all was when I went to Costco and my credit card was in my maiden name and I had to dig out my old license to pay!
When you go to get your marriage license before the wedding ask the clerk about multiple copies. I didn't get any because I didn't think I'd need them. But it stinks to send the original in the mail and hope it doesn't get lost or something. I made Xerox copies of it to send to the utlities companies. I didn't have my birthcertificate, lost it years ago. So I'm glad I got it before the wedding that way I didn't have to wait for it to come in to start the process.
I haven't changed my name on the mortage and here in Texas it is okay to leave the name alone. But when you go to sell the house is where the problem occurs. My co-worker just ran into this. She had to first get her name changed on the mortage and title before doing the closing on the house.
@vintage2010: So they weren't okay with her selling the home when it was under her maiden name? I don't remember having to show ID when I bought the house so I don't see why they really care either way.
I am confused--- Did some of you ladies from other states not receive a marriage certificate?
In the state of Ohio you obtain a marriage license before the wedding, it's signed and mailed in by the officiant and then you receive a marriage certificate from the county. You can't start changing stuff until you receive the marriage certificate from the county.
@jaylii9: We did receive our marriage license back in the mail. I think what the others are talking about is having extra certified copies because you have to mail the original in for some things like the passport and you might risk it getting lost in the mail.
@MissAB- I'm not sure why but the title company would not allow her to sell the house under the old name. I'm sure it was just to make the paperwork all match because she sold house and bought a new house at the same time. I'm really dreading the mortage and tax name change thing.
@jaylii9- We applied for the marriage license and got it in hand that day. Then the officiant signed it after the ceremony and we mailed it the next day. Then it took 6 weeks for the county to send it back to us with the approval codes on the back that show we were married and filed with the State.
Does anyone know on the passports if you can keep the inside pages that show where you have traveled to? I hate to lose those pages! :)
@vintage: They will return the old passport to you when it is renewed.
We went for our marriage license 30 days before the wedding. The woman asked us if we were related and started laughing as she asked (I'm white, he's Indian)..then she asked if we were under the influence...pretty comical questions, BUT I'm sure there is a good reason for them...I'm sure they've seen it all! :)
Yup, vintage, just got mine renewed.. they punch a hole in the bottom, but you get the whole passport back.
Jaylii9: Thank you SO much, yes, I'm cuyahoga county! I will check out that link.. and btw.. the phrase was hilarious... so if they are drunk, strung out, or if they can TELL they have syphillis they won't give them the license?? Ha.. And I didn't know that second cousins could get married!!!
@Ella1978- Just saw your response now, sorry! I am getting excited because we are going to get our license in mid July when we both are taking a day off work for a friend's wedding! Gotta stay syphilis free, haha
Also, remember that they will only accept cash! Good luck!
Just a little update.
The minister who did our ceremony gave us "our copy" of our marriage certificate the day of the wedding. I'm wondering if this is what was supposed to be sent to the county? He had other stuff that he sent in, but we have our copy of the original.. does that sound right? It has a gold seal on it and everything...
Who would I call to check this out?
We also got a copy of our marriage certificate w/the gold seal. That is indeed your copy, and the minister should have sent in the original to the court where you got your license. The court will send you back the "certified" copy which is the one you need to change your name. Still haven't gotten mine yet and it's been over 2 weeks - GRR!
@Ella1978: Sounds like you have what was supposed to be filed. From what I understand, the officiant is SUPPOSED to file this .. not you...
Long story short I was married years ago at the courthouse. The JP did the same thing, handed us the signed certificate and told us we could drop it off "later" to have it filed. Well, we procrastinated on it and eventually forgot. I honestly didn't understand at the time that it was THE one I needed to file and thought the JP had filed a copy or something else to make it legal and done.
Over 7 years later I find out that there is no record of my marriage (found this out when we split up).. and that all the time we lived as married and filed taxes as married and had a baby as married, we were not legally married because the certificate was never filed!
Of course by this time it ended up being a benefit to us both as there was no need to pay for a legal divorce and we were able to split with much less fanfare and expense, but yeah... make sure you file that yourself!!
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Hi there bees. I am a perpetual planner & I'm looking to start planning the name changing process, so that when I get back from my honeymoon, I can get right to it.
Anyone have any advice? Order of how to change things? Paper work needed?
I have a drivers license, passport, several bank accounts, 401k account, paycheck, social security card, mutual fund/ roth IRA, mortgage (which is only in my name)... and I'm totally at a loss as to where to start!
Thanks in advance!