Putting aside that changing your last name after you’re married can be a sensitive and sometimes controversial subject, I’m providing advice and the steps you need to take to change your name legally. If you do want to change your last name after your wedding, there are two ways to do it: 1) Do it all yourself, or 2) Use an online name changing service to make it super easy and stressfree. If you do want to do it yourself, then keep reading.
4 Steps to Changing Your Legal Name
The following instructions are excerpted from the City of Portland, Maine which provides folks this info when filing their intentions to marry in Maine.
- First, and most importantly, you must have a Certified Copy of your marriage license. I wrote a blog post about how to request your marriage license after the wedding. You may want to order multiple copies since some entities require original copies.
- Start by changing your drivers license. Check with your local Bureau of Motor Vehicles for instructions on how to do this.
- Then change your Social Security Number.
- Next notify all required entities.
Notify These Entities That Your Name Has Changed
After you do the three important tasks in the list above, it’s now time to complete #4. Following is a list of organizations that need to be updated after you legally change your name.
- Vehicle registration
- Insurance (auto/health/life, etc.)
- Passport
- Post Office
- IRS
- Voter registration
- Professional license
- Bank
- Credit cards
- Legal documents
- Magazines/catalogs
- Doctors/dentists
- State tax authority
- Memberships
- Clubs
- Employer
- Retirement plans
- Investments
- Utilities
This process can take a while so get started as soon as you return from your honeymoon (if you take one). Have patience and good luck.
If you’d prefer to take the stress out of completing all these steps yourself, look at the online name change service I’m affiliated with. They make it super easy and straightforward.
Change Your Name in 3 Steps!
