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You need to bring your marriage license to the SS office. They'll take your old card away from you (so bring it!) and issue you a new card that'll come in the mail. You'll also get some temporary paperwork that'll allow you to go right to the DMV. You'll get a new drivers license from the DMV (all they needed in Missouri was the SS office paperwork) and printed me up a new license right away and took away my old one. Then in a few weeks, I received my official SS card. I also had to fax in my marriage license and the temporary SS paperwork with some forms for a new passport, and I called my credit card company. I had to fax them a form and my marriage license also. I had to take the marriage license to the bank, too, with my new drivers license, for them to change my accounts.
as far as the hybrid thing...if your state allows it, i don't thin it's an issue?? I'd call the SS office and ask though.
I just got back from my local SS office. There is a form you can fill out on their website. I don't think its required but I think it helped make my process go faster. I brought my passport and marriage license. They are going to mail me a new SS card in 2 weeks. I have no idea where my old one is and they didn't even ask for it.
My next step is our DMV. They require a lot more documentation. You need two proofs of identification (passport, birth certificate, tax form, etc) and then two proofs of your address (mortgage, lease, utilities, etc).
After I get those two things done I will start working on the other stuff! I will probably do my passport last.
Thanks for the input, but I guess I should have been more specific about my question. I understand the process I need to go through - my only question is regarding the proof of name change that social security requires.
Did your marriage license have your new name actually written on it? If not, were there any issues with social security?
I haven't done this yet, but I have the same issue (my new name isn't on my marriage license - in fact, in Idaho, where I got married, only the witnesses sign the certificate, so I didn't even sign my new name!) My understanding is that the marriage license is your proof of needing a name change, but its okay if your new name isn't on it. You just tell them what your new name is, and they re-issue your SS card using that new name. You can always call to verify this, but thats my understanding. I can't imagine they require it, considering so many states do not write your new name on the license.
Not to hijack your post, but I also have a question about this process - do all these entities (SS office, DMV, etc) need an original copy of the marriage license? Or can I just make copies of it and bring those in?
I just got back from the Social Security office after successfully changing my name! farmersdaughter is right - the marriage license is just proof of needing a name change, not proof of the name itself.
@farmersdaughter - Hijack away! The name change process is pretty confusing and it is surprisingly difficult to find info about it online. I am not sure if they need originals, but they return it to you right away (or at least social security does), so you really only need one original.
@runskiclimb: In some states, the marriage certificate has the old and new names. However, even if it includes only the old names, it will be accepted as "proof" of a name change. It obviously isn't really proof as some brides do not change their names, but changing is so common that as a matter of convenience, the Social Security Administration accepts a marriage certificate as proof.
I've just taken my original marriage certificate around to each office (SS, DMV, Bank of America, and Chase) and they look at it but they don't keep it.
I still need to do the rest of my banks and investment companies. It's just taking forever to get it all done.
I recently got married and I have friends who work at banks and in fact the SS office.... THEY all said to go to the DMV first, take your marriage license and change your name there. Then take that to the SS office with your certificate to change your SS card. I did this and it was A BREEEEZE !
Our marriage license says His name (F,M,L) and my name (F,M,L). No where on there does it have my "new" name. However this was enough for them. They just took it and asked what I wanted my name to be. First Middle Maiden Husbands or just First Middle Husbands.
@mhayward: Be careful, I went to the DMV first and got the list of all the things I needed. I gathered them up and went back. When I checked in, they looked and made sure I had all my paperwork. Then I sat there for an hour. When I was finally called she said I had to go to the SS office FIRST!!! She even showed me the computer screen cause I was so frustrated.
Im sure this is different in every state, but call the DMV and SS office before going and waiting.
@farmersdaughter: I would bring the original but also a copy. They have just looked at my original but not kept it. I'm not sure if they would have just looked at a copy. In fact, I think the SS office said they do not accept copies.
In California you DEFINITELY have to go to Social Security first. They check the SS database at the DMV and will send you home if it doesn't show up with the new name there.
I would go to the SS office first. I went to the DMV the same day and they said your new name attached to your SS # has to process overnight, so I would recommend going to the DMV after a day or two have passed.
I just went to the SS office in NYC yesterday. Our marriage cvertificate doesn't have a joint name, just my original first middle last and his first middle last, it simply states we were married by so and so on July 3, 2010. I gave that, my drivers license and the form from the SS website, and that was all they needed. Like EJS said, they printed out a receipt showing all the old AND new info and said I"ll receive the new one in about 2 wks. I waited in like for just under 2 hrs, but the process only took about 5 min.
My marriage certificate only has my maiden name on it, but it was fine. They also didn't take my old SS card. I would suggest asking SS when you can go to the DMV, if they don't automatically tell you. I had to wait for their database to update overnight and could go the next day. I hear it's different in other states (ex: 48 hours).
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Now that the wedding is over and we are officially married (yay!), it is now time to start the name changing process. From what I have heard, the first place to start is the social security office. According to their website, you must show proof of name change, showing both your new and old names. We were married in Michigan and the marriage license does not show our NEW names. We were told to sign our new names, but neither of our signatures is legible (he just signs his first name, and mine just looks like a C with a bunch of squiggles).
I should probably add that this issue is even further complicated by the fact that both of us are changing our names to a hybrid of our two last names. From what I have found online, Massachusetts (where we live) allows this. I am not sure if this matters though, as the marriage license is from Michigan.
Help? Can we use the marriage license as proof, or do we need to go through court to change our names?