What's in a name?

So as I am preparing for my big moving weekend, I keep thinking about all the people I need to contact to change my address, then it dawns on me. I will have to do this ALL OVER again in a few months to change my name on EVERYTHING! Here are a couple links and tips to getting your name changed on practically everything you have ever done!

Things that you HAVE to change:

• Birth Certificate (optional)
• Health Card
• Social Insurance Card
• Driver's License (ownership)
• Passport (new travel rules state your name must match the one on your drivers license)
  
• Business License
• Bank Account
• Credit Cards
• Insurances
• Hospital Cards
• Pretty much everything with your maiden name on it should to be changed.

What if you are not taking his name?

I'm Gonna Take His Last Name

That's the traditional way of doing the marriage thing. You'll have to change all of your ID except for your birth certificate, which can remain in your maiden name or you can change your birth certificate to your married name if you want to change your name legally. That means if anything should go wrong in your marriage, you'll legally have to change your name back again to your birth name/maiden name on your birth certificate.

I'm Planning On Hyphenating My Two Names

Some women who want to maintain both identities will keep their maiden name, then hyphenate their name and their husband's last name. You'll still have to change all your ID and when signing anything, use both hyphenated names. When you have children you'll have the choice of giving them just your husband's last name or the hyphenated version that you've chosen.

Maiden Name Instead of Middle Name

This is where you will change your name from Mary Jean Jones who's married to Tom Brown, to Mary Jones Brown. You'll still have to change your ID but your children will take on only your husband's last name.

I'm Not Changing My Name (You Renegade!)

You keep your name, he has his. This situation is particularly good if you have children from a previous marriage and want to retain the same name as your children. You won't have to change your ID and if you have an established business, nothing changes there either. Difficulties show up with family and children born out of this marriage. It's confusing for the school and the child who also has a different name from one of their parents. This can be embarrassing for some men when you don't want to assume his last name. We won't even bring up the in-laws! YIKES!!

You can keep your own name legally and at work but assume your husband's name socially. That means, on all your ID your name is the same as the one you were born with but if you get invited to a party the invitation will say to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Brown.

Now how do I go about making all these changes?
You can take a week off work and visit the DMV, Social Security Office, Call all your bill collectors, etc. Or you can give MISSNOWMRS.COM a whirl. For $30 they will do it all for you! You can still do it the old fashioned way, just wait to get your marriage license back from the state before you try. You CAN NOT change anything until you get that back, and it takes about 2 weeks!