Traditional views have always held that a woman should change her name when they get married. You do not always have to change your name. In today’s world, there are a lot of different situations. Changing your name when you get married is still one of the most popular options, although there are many reasons people end up not changing their name or are forced to wait. If you perform them at the time of marriage, regular name changes are usually simple and easy. In many places, it is easier to change your name when you are getting married. The same thing goes for getting divorced.
Getting Your Name Changed After Getting Married
Taking your spouse’s last name after marriage is relatively simple in most states. In most areas, you only need a certified copy of the marriage license. When you sign your marriage license, it will have both your maiden name and your married name on it. This license is the simplest and easiest way to affect your name change if you plan to take your spouse’s name.
In places that do not acknowledge same-sex marriage, this name change might not be that simple. If you are in this category, you must go through a standard legal name change.
After you have your marriage certificate, changing your name will inform people about the name change. Any business or organization you used your maiden name with will need notification of the name change.
In the absence of the marriage certificate, in the case of some same-sex couples, a court order or legal name change should do the trick. Most financial and government institutions require a court order or legally reconciled document before changing your name on your driver’s license and bank accounts.
Social media is the one place that usually doesn’t require any documentation on a legal name change. You can feel free to begin using your intended name at any time. You do not need to wait for a legal document or a marriage license. Some states require a formal advertisement before you can legally change your name.
This advertisement usually comes as an engagement announcement in your local paper. Depending on the newspaper’s size, you can expect to pay $100 or more for a statement like this. Some smaller newspapers will not cost that much, but some might cost more.
If you are a same-sex couple and have to go through a standard legal name change, some places require a public notification as well. The same requirements apply. You can post an announcement in your local newspaper.
The advantage of this sort of name change, when you are getting married is the name change cost. There are usually no extra charges from the government to change your name when you are getting married. If you wait too long after marriage, you will fall into a standard legal name change. You can endure court costs, legal fees, and attorney fees as well.
Anyone can legally change their name even if you did not do it when you first married. Many adults choose not to change their terms at first for many reasons but then change their minds sometime later. You can still fill out the proper paperwork for your local area and file it with the clerk of courts or the judge. Usually, a magistrate or a judge will review your case and grant your name change. This court order will be the legal document to allow you to change your name on other materials.
One thing of note is that some states do not recognize changing your middle name after marriage. Trends today can have you legally changing your given middle name to your maiden name and then taking the surname of your choice. This middle name change would require you to use a standard legal name change process to change your middle name.
Making Your Name Change Legal After a Divorce
The easiest way to change your name when you are getting a divorce is to have the judge place an order for marriage dissolution. This is the usual way to go about it. For various reasons, both husbands and wives might want to go back to their given surname after a divorce.
If you failed to have the judge change your name during the divorce, some judges would amend the divorce to change your name. You can use this order as the legal document to change your name with organizations like the Department of Motor Vehicles, banks, and the Social Security card application. In other states, they require you to go through an average name change petition just like anyone else changing their name. From there, you can begin using your maiden name or whatever chosen surname you are taking.
Name Change Trends
In today’s world, there are name-change trends that people want to follow. Combining you and your spouse’s last name to create a new last name for your family is one of them. If you perform the name change after marriage, then the standard procedures apply.
If you are a man, then most states require you to file a regular name change petition. Most places do not recognize a name change for a man during or after marriage. This type of name change is the same situation that some same-sex couples will have to face. You can still file an average name change petition with the courts.
Another name change trend is don’t change your name at all. It usually happens when one of the parties getting married has a business that hinges on their name. This type of change also applies to people getting a divorce. During a marriage, some parties make a name for themselves and then, after the separation, want to keep the name for the sake of their business. Not changing your name for these reasons is perfectly acceptable.
Adding a new surname to your maiden with a hyphen is another trend people want to do. Its usual format is your maiden name and surname. Follow the routine procedures as with any other marriage name change.
Changing your name after a marriage or divorce is simple. It would help if you got started on it right away. The more time elapses, the harder it can be to change your name. You can still change your name by going through the routine procedures with the court system, but it will require more money to get accomplished.
