You’re married, CONGRATS! Now - if you're wanting to - it’s time to change your last name. We know not everyone plans to change their last name after getting married, but for those who ARE planning on changing their name, we're here to help. It can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be!
The first this to do is to make sure you get your marriage certificate.
This is different than your marriage license - which gives you the authorization to get married. A marriage certificate is legal documentation that you have been legally married. With all of the excitement of your big day, it can be easy to forget to get the proper signatures and documentation for your marriage license. Appoint a friend or family member (or ask your wedding planner) to help you make sure you get what you need and you know where your marriage license is at the end of the night. This will allow you to proceed with filing for your marriage certificate and change your last name. You can look up how to file for your marriage certificate online based on the state you live in.
Check out this article from The Knot for a more detailed explanation about marriage license vs. marriage
certificate.
*Pro-Tip: Make sure you get a couple certified copies!
After you have your marriage license and marriage certificate squared away you can begin the process
for changing your last name! The easiest way to do this is to use a company like Hitch Switch or Newly
Named. Companies like these make it extremely easy to change your name because they have all the
forms ready to go so you’re not spending hours searching for and filling out the same info on each form.
Not only are all the forms in one spot, but they use auto-fill to fill in the same information for you on
each form! They have thought of everything including things like voter registration forms and even
forms for TSA pre-check.
We hope this info helps make changing your last name a breeze. Good luck!
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