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Whether you're adopting his last name or hyphenating your
own, there are several steps to take when changing your name.
First and foremost, you must get married. After that, you'll
need to register with the Social Security office. Everyone
from your bank to your credit cards will ask for proof from
the Social Security administration before changing your records.
Social Security Office
The good news is, getting a new Social Security card is both
easy and free. All you need to do is file Form SS-5
with your official marriage certificate. You can do this in
person, or via mail. To apply in person, simply show up at
your local Social Security Administration office (you can
find the address to your local office in the phone book or
on the Internet), but be prepared to wait; you may have to.
To apply via mail, you can stop by in person to pick up the
appropriate form and then mail it in, call and have an application
mailed to you, or download it from the SSA's Web site (www.ssa.gov).
In any case, you must be prepared to either hand over
or mail your original marriage certificate. The SSA will
only accept an official, original certificate. A keepsake
certificate or declaration from your church will not work.
Requesting Your Marriage Certificate
Many brides don't realize that unless you specifically request
it, you won't automatically receive a copy of your marriage
certificate in the mail. Before the ceremony, you and your
fiance obtain a marriage license, which is to say you have
legal permission to marry. After the ceremony, your officiant
will file the appropriate paperwork with the government. It
is then up to you to formally request an official copy of
the marriage certificate. One will not automatically arrive.
You should wait at least 2 weeks after the ceremony to ensure
the paperwork was processed before you send in your request.
(You can find contact information for where to write with
your marriage license paperwork, or obtain it from your officiant.)
Once you do, depending on the time of year (summer months
are the busiest in the world of wedding documentation), you
can expect to wait a few weeks for the certificate to arrive.
Once you have it in hand, you can then proceed to the Social
Security Office.
Receiving Your New Card
Again, be advised that whether you apply in person or via
the mail, you will have to surrender your precious official
copy of your certificate, but in either case, it will be returned
to you by mail, along with your new card. Depending on the
time of year, you can expect to wait anywhere from 2 to 6
weeks for your new Social Security card.
Your new Social Security card with your new name freshly
printed on it is your key to all other name changes. Once
you have it in hand, make several copies. Everyone will want
one.
Name Change Checklist
Now that the government knows, don't forget to change your
name with:
- • Your bank
- • Your work (you might want to order new business
cards a fews weeks in advance)
- • The Post Office
- • The DMV (changing the name on your driver's
license and your car's registration requires 2 separate
transactions)
- • Your insurance (car, home, personal, life)
- • Your doctor's office
- • Your credit cards
- • Your school/alma mater
- • Frequent Flyer accounts (very important
when you need to cash in a that free ticket!)
- • Your library/video rental cards
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