Recent Name Change?

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rich126
Posts: 4475
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2018 3:56 pm

Recent Name Change?

Post by rich126 »

We recently got married and the first thing my wife did was submit the marriage certificate to social security for a name change. Apparently that can take 45 days, although since we are dealing with the government and covid, I'm not holding my breath on 45 days.

Has anyone done this recently?

The plan was to:
1. social security
2. driver's license
3. financial institutions
4. Meet with attorney to update legal documents

Of course waiting for #1 to get done means everything else is on hold. When speaking with a bank recently they required the certificate plus items 1 and 2 on my list. I also need to deal with my benefits department because they expect a copy of the marriage certificate AND some joint bank statement, etc. and that may not happen within the 30 days they are giving us. My wife called the utility company and they are in the process of changing the name and putting my name on the bill but that may not occur until the next billing cycle.

If it matters she did not have a middle name previously but now will have her "old" last name as a middle name along with my last name as her new last name. (Also no kids involved, and neither of us have been married previously.)
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rterickson
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Joined: Fri May 01, 2015 3:48 pm

Re: Recent Name Change?

Post by rterickson »

You don't have to do this sequentially.

Driver's license and social security card (both in maiden name) and original marriage certificate will satisfy everyone.
Katietsu
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Joined: Sun Sep 22, 2013 1:48 am

Re: Recent Name Change?

Post by Katietsu »

Separate things like joint accounts and benefits from the name change. A little more work but not much. Do you have a joint bank account now? If so, get the work benefits taken care of using all the information in her maiden name. If not, do the joint bank account in the maiden name, then take care of the benefits. Remember that DW does not need to ever change her name for these things. I would probably leave the drivers license in the maiden name that matches the social security card for now unless you have run into a reason that I have not thought of. After you get the new SSN, then you can start down your list again. FYI, there is nothing fraudulent about using two different names at once. There are certain things that need to match like SSN name and tax return. Reservation name for plane flight should match drivers license. But otherwise, you can operate with both names indefinitely, so a couple of months should not be too hard to navigate.
123
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Re: Recent Name Change?

Post by 123 »

rich126 wrote: Thu Jun 24, 2021 2:32 pm ... I also need to deal with my benefits department because they expect a copy of the marriage certificate AND some joint bank statement, etc. and that may not happen within the 30 days they are giving us...
Lots of people don't change their names with a marriage. She can likely get enrolled under her "old" name with the marriage certificate. Maybe in 3 months when everything is sorted out she can then have them amend the enrollment to her married name, people change their minds.
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cchrissyy
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Location: SF bay area

Re: Recent Name Change?

Post by cchrissyy »

good advice above

also, the bank can add a name as an "also known as" on the account. It is not illegal to use an alias as long as you are not doing it to defraud people.
for example, say her name has always been Jane Doe and you are Jack Black. She can immediately begin using Jane Black socially and at work and anywhere else she wants to, and someday when a check comes in the mail for Jane Black all she needs to do is tell the bank, yes that is a name she goes by, and they will see it on the account as a known alias and deposit the check.

if you want to order credit cards where she is an authorized user on an account you already have, you can do that today and have them print Jane Black. i recently requested cards for my teenagers and the only information the card company needed was their names, no legal documentation, not even a birthdate.

edit to add - you can inform your work right now that you are married and your wife, Jane Black, or Jane Doe Black, needs to be added to all the benefits. If they require any proof, her old ID plus the marriage certificate should suffice!
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Jablean
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Re: Recent Name Change?

Post by Jablean »

If she does want to change her name it is easier to do so in the recent aftermath of a marriage. I didn't and looked into it about 15 years later - state would make me advertise the change in the paper for three weeks in addition to the regular stuff. Decided still not worth it. I have a credit card with both names on it, I think that's harder to do now than back then though.
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