The Things You Need to Keep in Mind When Changing your Name
Wedding planning, honeymoon planning, getting ready to change your name – these are all equally exciting and daunting tasks to be facing all at the same time! Amidst the excitement about your wedding and life ahead of you both as a married couple, one thing that isn’t super exciting is the paperwork needed to change your last name.
Our biggest tip for changing your name — Name Change Kits. These are a game-changer when it comes to quickly making your new last name official. You can get all your paperwork prepared in about 10 or 15 minutes. A good kit can save you over 8 hours of time on the phone, looking for forms and writing letters. Our favorite one to use is Easy Name Change. They were established in 2008 and have helped over 1 million people change their name! Their easy-to-use kit can give you back hours of your time. Their kits start at $39 and your time is priceless! And right now you can save $5 when you use the promo code LOVE2SAVE5.
Top Tips For Your Name Change
Decide if you’ll use a kit or DIY
If you have time to contact each company to learn the process, find forms and write letters you can certainly DIY it. Our recommendation would be to use a name changing kit to make the process quick and easy. A good quality name change kit will save you time and headaches. Easy Name Change kits have an amazing coverage of companies who you need to alert of your name change, guarantee to save you 8 hours and have a money back guarantee! Decide early on if you’ll be using a kit so you can get the right forms, be walked through the process and save the most time from the beginning.
Make a detailed company checklist
Since you’re in the thick of wedding planning, you’re probably sick of checklists by now, but this one is critical to saving you time in the long run! Start by doing an audit of all the places where you hold an account, membership, subscription or have identification. If you choose Easy Name Change, a personalized checklist will be provided for you.
Make a plan
You’ll need to set aside about 10 minutes of research time per organization you need to notify of your name change. Newlyweds have an average of 25 companies they need to notify of their name change, so that’s at least 4 hours of your day dedicated to this process. Once you’ve done all the research, plan your strategy. A part of your plan should include practicing your signature before rocking up at the DMV. It might take some time to get it right. Book out time to visit offices in person where needed. Decide when you’ll complete all the paperwork and stick to it! No one wants their name change dragged on for years (yes, this happens).
Get the order right
1. Always start with the Social Security Administration (SSA)! You can complete the form online or the old-fashioned way. Almost everyone files in person so they don’t have to mail in sensitive identification documents.
2. All state DMVs link from the SSA. Allow 3 working days for the SSA change to be visible to other agencies, and then visit your DMV for your new drivers’ license or state ID.
3. Once you have updated your photo ID, hit the banks. Got checks lying around? Bank these before the name on your bank account changes!
4. Credit cards are reissued with a new name or number, so you can update digital subscriptions later, taking care of your name and linked billing accounts at the same time.
Make a new will
Yep. Serious adulting stuff. In some states, marriage invalidates a will or there could be additional costs or less entitlements if a previous will was not made in contemplation of marriage. This becomes even more important if you have kids or own property.
Top Traps For Your Name Change
Disorganization
No one loves paperwork. And if you’re not organized, it can feel overwhelming. Who did you already notify? Did you send the right proof of marriage? Has it really been 3 months and I’m still doing this? Start with a plan, which starts with a great checklist. If you need to apply for credit, change jobs, transact property or complete qualifications, you can encounter issues when proving your identity and it can complicate key life events.
Passport & overseas travel
Hopefully, thanks to your Honeyfund, you’ve got a fab trip booked overseas. Be careful if you are traveling abroad or booking flights abroad within 4 months of your wedding. Here’s Easy Name Change’s recommendation for the best way to approach this.
Forgetting to update some accounts
If you’ve updated some accounts to your new name, but others are still in your former name, it can cause a major headache. If you close accounts in your former name you could be sent a check in your former name and it becomes a nightmare to have your bank accept it!
Forgot to bring your marriage certificate
Most companies need some kind of proof that you are entitled to use your new name, and it’s usually either your official marriage certificate or updated photo ID. Most larger banks need both! Be ready with the right proof for the right places.
Make It Easy On Yourself
If you’ve been thinking about changing your name, we highly recommend spending the $39 to save weeks of research and paperwork by using an Easy Name Change kit. With their 60-Day money-back guarantee, it’s well worth it! And right now you can get $5 off when you use the promo code LOVE2SAVE5 (valid to June 2024).
