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Steps To Changing Your Name After Marriage – This article is for informational purposes. This content is not legal advice, it is the expression of the author and has not been evaluated by for accuracy or changes in the law.
The process to legally change your name depends on your state’s laws and the reason you are changing your name.
Steps To Changing Your Name After Marriage
Common reasons for legally changing your name include marriage or divorce, change of gender identity, and personal preference. But whatever your reason, you need to make a legal request for a name change.
Changing Your Name After Marriage: The Complete Guide
Once you change your name, there is a long list of people, entities and other institutions to contact with the new information to ensure the change is complete.
In this article, we will explain the processes to legally change your name to a new name and the steps to obtain a name change order.
Deciding to legally change your name is a big step and one that should not be taken lightly. In most situations, you must have a very good reason to change your name, and a judge must approve your request and issue a name change order unless the name change is related to marital status.
You can change your first name, middle name and/or last name to one or more new names. Note that you can change your title (for example, Mr., Mrs., or Mrs.) whenever you want, as it is not a legal designation.
A Step By Step Guide To Changing Your Name In Missouri!
If you decide you want to legally change your name (first, middle or last name) for a reason unrelated to marriage or divorce (such as gender reassignment or gender identity, because your name is difficult to spell or pronounce, or because you just don’t like it), you have to go through a court process, file a name change request and get a court order to change your name. The simple process is easy to do, is the same process regardless of your reason, and is governed by state law.
In most states, your local clerk of courts at your county courthouse can provide you with the legal forms, legal documents, name change request form, or name change document with the basic steps you need to request a name change. You must submit the completed original documents to the court.
You may need to present your current driver’s license as legal proof of identity when submitting your paperwork. You will likely need to file a name change request along with other documents required by your court. There will be a local document fee that varies by state. The fee varies by state but is usually under $300. In Texas, for example, the court filing fee is between $150 and $300, depending on where you live.
The court may require you to undergo an FBI background check and have your fingerprints taken in addition to the completed form you must submit. You will pay a fee for this as well.
How To Change Your Name After Marriage
Your state may also require you to publish a public notice of your name change in a local newspaper so that anyone who objects can be heard. The court clerk or county clerk’s office will give you step-by-step instructions. You must provide proof of publication and pay the publication cost.
In most states, you will likely have to attend a brief court hearing at a court date where the judge may ask some questions about why you are changing your name. The entire process from filing to completion can take a few weeks to a few months, depending on how busy the courts are.
You cannot change your name to impersonate someone else (such as a famous person), hide your identity, avoid prosecution for a crime or debt, or deceive someone. You cannot change your name to something obscene or offensive, such as a racial slur. In most states, your name must use letters, not numbers. Your new name must meet your state’s requirements for a legal name.
Once you’ve worked through the court process to legally change your name, submitted your completed form, and made your court appearance, there are still more steps you must take to ensure your new name is fully used.
How To Change Your Name After Your Wedding [name Change Checklist & Guide]
Once your court proceedings are complete, the court will issue a court order legally changing your name to the new name. You may need to obtain a certified copy of the order. Your state will then issue a new birth certificate. This document is key because you must present it to change other documents and records. You may need a certified copy of it for some institutions.
Once you have your new birth certificate, get a copy with a raised seal (getting this ahead of time will save you hours since you’ll have to request it later) and present it to the DMV and the Social Security Administration to get your new driver’s license or photo ID and social security card. They will each have specific forms that you need to fill out and may have other documents that you need to bring with you for the change. The DMV may have a fee for the change.
Once you have the new driver’s license and social security card, you can use them to change other documents and get items changed such as your new passport (make sure the passport matches your name on other documents), insurance cards, car registration, credit cards, bank accounts, credit union accounts, investment accounts, government offices, voter registration information, bank statements, Global Entry, investments, financial records, other financial accounts, deeds, titles and other documents.
If you’re not sure how to change your name on something, check with the issuing authority. Changing names everywhere can be time-consuming, but it’s important to be thorough.
Forms: Fill Out & Sign Online
It is also important to note that simply changing your name does not change your intestate right to inheritance.
If you want to know how to change your name after marriage, the first thing you should know about a name change after marriage is that it is your choice whether you want to change it or not. You do not need a court order or deed of change to change your name after you get married.
If you’re wondering how to legally change your last name after marriage, you can take your spouse’s last name or hyphenate your last name and your spouse’s last name. In a name change after marriage, you cannot change your first name, but you can also change your current middle name if you change it to your premarital surname.
If you want to change your surname after marriage to your spouse’s surname, you only need to show a copy of your marriage certificate to have your name changed everywhere. Once you have your new driver’s license or passport, it works for name change requests.
Changing Your Name After Marriage: The Complete Step By Step Guide
The marriage certificate itself will not show your married name, but the certificate provides proof that you have the right to change your name after marriage.
When you’re married, you can change your name to your spouse’s name whenever you want—immediately or months or years later. Whenever you do, your marriage certificate is the proof you need to show.
Sometimes when changing their name after marriage, a couple may decide that they both want to change their name to a completely new last name or a combination of their previous names. In that case, each spouse will need to file a formal name change request with a local court.
It is important to understand that if your marriage ends, your name will remain the same unless you take steps to change it.
How To Change Name In Pan Card After Marriage; Know Steps, Documents Required And Other Details
After your marriage, take your marriage certificate along with the required Social Security form and other documents requested to the local Social Security office, and you will receive a new Social Security card in your married name.
To find your local Social Security office or branch, visit www.ssa.gov/locator. This is where you will go to get the name on your Social Security card changed after your name change.
To change your last name on your driver’s license after marriage, you take your marriage certificate to the Department of Motor Vehicles, fill out the necessary paperwork, pay a fee and provide additional documentation.
Once you have your new driver’s license and Social Security card, you can continue to legally change your name with other government agencies. Note that your name does not change when you change your name after you get married unless you actively request that it be changed on all documents.
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If you changed your name to your spouse’s name when you got married and got a new married name, you may want to change your name back to your maiden name (also called a maiden name) if you divorce. However, you are not required to do so. If you have a child, you may want to keep your married name to match your child’s name. Your ex-spouse does not need to give permission or consent if you want to change your name after divorce.
Changing name after divorce
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