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Name change...confused

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ArtBride Posts : 4,841 Registered: 5/9/07
Name change...confused
Posted: May 27, 2008 9:17 AM

Ladies, I figured I'd get the ball rolling on this name-change thing, but I'm totally confused. (By the way, I didn't expect to be confused. I thought it was easy!) Can someone help?

Ok...here's what I've done so far. I got a couple certified copies of our marriage license. And I downloaded the form to get a new SS card...but when I was reading the instructions for what I'd have to send in to verify my identity and name change, it mentions that they need proof of my legal name change. I thought changing my SS card WAS the legal name change. Was I supposed to have done something else first?

The instructions on the SS form say that my marriage license has to show both my old and new names...but it doesn't. Did I fill it out wrong?

The marriage register has two spaces for the bride's name: 'Present Name of Bride' and 'Maiden Surname (if Different)'. The marriage register is a certified copy of the license that we filled out before the wedding. Since we weren't married yet and I hadn't changed my name, I put my name (maiden name) in the 'Present Name' box. Did I do that wrong? Was I supposed to put the name I wanted to change to in that box?

Ok...so if I've screwed this up, how do I fix it?


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washington_dc , april_2008 , name_change
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NJ4Life Posts : 3,358 Registered: 8/10/07
Re: Name change...confused
Posted: May 27, 2008 9:25 AM Go to message in response to: ArtBride

hey...did you get the license from the city yet?? Youre sure it doesnt have your old name??  I cant remember if my old name is on mine, but when places asked me (bank, whatever) I just pointed to DH's last name....

I also went down to the SS office (which was TONS of fun) Are you trying to do it by mail? If you have an SS office near by, I'd go that route. It takes a while, but its much easier....

The SS form should have a spot for your old name, and what you want to change it to....Did u get the form online?


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ArtBride Posts : 4,841 Registered: 5/9/07
Re: Name change...confused
Posted: May 27, 2008 9:32 AM Go to message in response to: NJ4Life

Yeah...the problem is that my marriage license only lists my old name, not the new one, so I have no proof that I want to change it.

I think I filled out the marriage license form wrong...I guess maybe I was supposed to put the name I wanted to take in the 'Present Name' box...but I put my maiden name in that box, since I was filling it out as an application for a marriage license. I never had an opportunity to change my name on the form...and I thought I should fill it out using my current legal name. It just didn't make any sense for them to ask for my present name and for me to give a name that wasn't my legal name yet. It is all very confusing.

So I think I filled out my marriage license wrong, and need to change it. Anybody know whether that's possible? And if the marriage license only says my maiden name, how can I change it?


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I like the flowers, so I'm keeping my useless ticker. Just married, 4/26/08!

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ArtBride Posts : 4,841 Registered: 5/9/07
Re: Name change...confused
Posted: May 27, 2008 9:34 AM Go to message in response to: NJ4Life

Ahhh...did yours have your married name on it? Maybe it's normal just to have the bride's maiden name? So if I go to the SS office (I'm sure there's one somewhere in DC), I should be able to change it, since both our names are on the marriage license?


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I like the flowers, so I'm keeping my useless ticker. Just married, 4/26/08!

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NJ4Life Posts : 3,358 Registered: 8/10/07
Re: Name change...confused
Posted: May 27, 2008 9:41 AM Go to message in response to: ArtBride

you should be able to. I can look at mine tonite and let you know what it says.

Also you bring your current SS card and that has you maiden name on it. And your license which should have your maiden name. I think I even brought my passport just in case.

its a freaking process thats for sure. I still havent change my license b/c its a hassle!


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CaribbeanBride08 Posts : 1,474 Registered: 6/13/07
Re: Name change...confused
Posted: May 27, 2008 9:47 AM Go to message in response to: ArtBride

Artbride, I don't think you filled out your marriage license wrong.  When I signed my marriage certificate, they specifically told me to sign it with my then current name.  I'm not changing my name so I'm no help there but wanted to let you know about the marriage cert.
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totobride Posts : 642 Registered: 3/30/06
Re: Name change...confused
Posted: May 27, 2008 9:58 AM Go to message in response to: CaribbeanBride08

Artbride,  My marriage license said my maiden name only  The fact that I had a license was proof that I had a reason to change my name.

 

I went in to the ss office.  They tell you on the website (or should) exactly what you need to bring (I had to take my ss card, state id, birth certificate, and license).  Then, you give them the information and they change it.  I got my ss card ten days later.  Reccomendation:  Go in first thing in the morning if at all possible - it goes a lot quicker.

 


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NJ4Life Posts : 3,358 Registered: 8/10/07
Re: Name change...confused
Posted: May 27, 2008 10:07 AM Go to message in response to: totobride

Toto, haha yup! Thats what I did. It was such a pain in the you know what I probably blocked it out!

 

Art-as long as you have your picture ID w/ your maiden name yo shouild be fine. Throw in your passport for good measure!


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MrsDupont Posts : 1,574 Registered: 4/14/06
Re: Name change...confused
Posted: May 27, 2008 10:16 AM Go to message in response to: NJ4Life

Yeah i went to the SS Office.... it was just so much easier...

when you go, have your Marriage licenses, State ID or Drivers licenses, Birth Certificate and Social Secruity Card...

My Marriage license when i signed it i had to sign it with my new last name... I didnt even look to see if it has my maiden name on it.

I havent gotten my SS Card yet its been a week and half... so everything at work is still My Maiden name... THey wont let me change it until i get my new SS card...

Your best bet is to GO early in the AM i know they open at 9am... Get there as early as you can... I was there for maybe an hour. and i was #8.


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BreAnn Posts : 600 Registered: 11/28/07
Re: Name change...confused
Posted: May 27, 2008 10:35 AM Go to message in response to: ArtBride

I went into the SS office, and after downloading the paper off the internet, she told me I didn't need it. Oh well. I took my marriage certficate, which had my maiden name on it, and my current SS card and drivers liscence. I was in and out in like 20 mins (which is amazing!!). The hard part was getting my drivers liscense changed! Seriously, we had been married a week and I was supposed to already have bills in my new name at my new physical address?!?! I hate the DMV in WV. LOL

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ArtBride Posts : 4,841 Registered: 5/9/07
Re: Name change...confused
Posted: May 27, 2008 10:40 AM Go to message in response to: BreAnn

Oh good - thanks everybody! I just got confused the SS form instructions said to bring proof of my legal name change, since I haven't changed it yet.

So as long as I have whatever IDs they need, and the marriage license with both our full names, I should be able to change it to whatever variation of our names that I want? I don't have to provide anything extra to hyphenate rather than getting rid of mine and changing to his?

Weird, Dupont! I didn't even need to sign our marriage certificate, though I guess I signed it when we applied for it. I didn't sign it the day of the wedding. But in VA we didn't even need witness signatures - we just needed the officiant to sign.


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I like the flowers, so I'm keeping my useless ticker. Just married, 4/26/08!

Message was edited by: ArtBride

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MrsDupont Posts : 1,574 Registered: 4/14/06
Re: Name change...confused
Posted: May 27, 2008 10:48 AM Go to message in response to: ArtBride

Yeah that is weird... My Witnesses signed it and Then they had me and DH sign and they took pictures of us signing them.

And she said... sign with our you will change your name...


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ArtBride Posts : 4,841 Registered: 5/9/07
Re: Name change...confused
Posted: May 27, 2008 10:53 AM Go to message in response to: MrsDupont

I guess it varies from state to state. We didn't need legal witnesses, so nobody signed ours. The marriage certificate was the same form as the marriage license - the only difference being that the officiant has filled out his part and the clerk has certified it. So our parts were filled out when we went to the courthouse to apply for a marriage license. I guess we must have signed it that day, but I didn't put any 'choice of new name' information on it because it was a marriage license, stating that we were legally able to marry one another. It wouldn't have made any sense for me to sign it in another name, since there is no one with that legal name. So I guess the way I did it must be correct for my state, though it's good to hear that other people went to the SS office without having their new name listed on the marriage license.

DaisypathWedding Ticker

I like the flowers, so I'm keeping my useless ticker. Just married, 4/26/08!

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SammiAnn Posts : 114 Registered: 3/4/08
Re: Name change...confused
Posted: May 27, 2008 11:32 AM Go to message in response to: ArtBride

At the marriage license office here in NC, they told me to put my name as it is NOW on the license application because quote "you're not married yet".  We were told that the whole name change thing happened at the SS office first and then we should go from there.

As for the witness thing, we have to have two witnesses and the officiant sign, but WE don't have to sign it again, because we already did when we applied.
June 7, 2008...here I come!

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ArtBride Posts : 4,841 Registered: 5/9/07
Re: Name change...confused
Posted: May 27, 2008 11:41 AM Go to message in response to: SammiAnn

Sammi, that sounds similar to ours. It wouldn't make sense to put your new name on it since it's not your legal name. I was just confused because the SS paperwork said that I needed documents showing both my new and old names, and I don't have anything other than the marriage license, which is obviously in the old name.

DaisypathWedding Ticker

I like the flowers, so I'm keeping my useless ticker. Just married, 4/26/08!

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