Connecticut

Changing Your Name- Advice Please?

Well I'm down into the single digits!!! Hard to believe, since we got engaged in 2010! Just curious how I should start the process to change my name? Do you do your license before other things (like your bank account, credit cards, etc)? Also, I'm in education, have any teachers on here changed their name on their certifications too? Is that hard to do?

TIA!
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Re: Changing Your Name- Advice Please?

  • Your wedding is so close, congrats! :)

    I have been checking into this myself and you definitely want to start with Social Security. According to the CT DMV website they will not process any name changes until Social Security is updated. Once you have updated Social Security and with the DMV I think you can go from there. Don't forget your passport if you have one!

    http://www.ct.gov/dmv/cwp/view.asp?a=805&q=244738
    Anniversary
  • We went to our town hall and got a copy of our marriage license, which we then took to the Social Security office and told them we wanted new names. =) We got our new cards in the mail after that. We are going to the DMV tuesday to change our licenses, then we'll open up new bank accounts with our new names and close the old ones (you could also just change names on account, but we are switching banks). Then credit cards, other bills, and such will be after that. At some point we'll ask for a name change on our passports too.
  • I actually called my credit card companies first and told them I was married and changing my name. The back of all my credit cards said "See CT ID", so I needed them in hand before my licence. Then I did social security, then the DMV, then activated my cards after I had my new licence in hand. Then went to the banks... and the process seems like it never ends. I'm still changing my name several months later. 
  • Oh, I will add though that the first thing I actually changed my name on was Facebook :)
  • how many certified marriage certificates did you ladies get?  when you show the marriage certificate to the DMV do they take it or do you just have to show them it?
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_connecticut_changing-your-name-advice-please?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:65Discussion:c66a94de-86a9-4753-baf7-24357b5365a9Post:b1731f75-cc24-451c-86aa-70864a27c0bf">Re: Changing Your Name- Advice Please?</a>:
    [QUOTE]how many certified marriage certificates did you ladies get?  when you show the marriage certificate to the DMV do they take it or do you just have to show them it?
    Posted by lulu4150[/QUOTE]

    <div>I've only gotten one so far, but I haven't been to the DMV yet. However, I'm 98% sure they do not keep it, they just look at it if you go in person.</div>
  • I'm in the process of all of this right now.  First, you need to know it can take up to a month for your marriage cert to get to the town hall where you live.  You can get it immediately from the town where you got married.  I didn't bother since we waited a week for our honeymoon then we were gone for 2 weeks.  It will be a month this week so I will check again but as of last Monday my town still didn't have it.  Right after the wedding H added me to his bank account so they put it under my new last name even though it's not official yet. 

    First step is to go to social security.  Then I will go to DMV, I believe you can get your license changed at AAA (I know you normally can, but I'm pretty sure you still can with a name change).  From there I will contact my employers, credit cards, and bank accounts.  I will change things at doctors when I go.  I am also buying a new car (picking it up today actually) so that will still be registered under my maiden name because a credit check would obviously not line up.  I asked the dealer about that and he said it's not a big deal because if I were to get pulled over they would be able to look up my license and see that.

    I am also a teacher (well, para) and don't think I will bother changing it on my certification.  I am still looking for a teaching job, but all applications have a place where you can put your maiden name or any other name that your records may be under so I don't think it's a big deal.

    Hope this helps a bit!  Just make sure not to change anything right after the wedding if your honeymoon is under your maiden name (especially if you are flying somewhere).
  • TBee99TBee99 member
    First Comment

    Thanks ladies, this simplifies things a bit for me. I guess I will just wait until we get back from our honeymoon, since it will take a while to get the certified marriage certificate. And since we are going overseas, I don't want to change the license when the passport has a different name. I'll start simple with Facebook! :)

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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_connecticut_changing-your-name-advice-please?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:65Discussion:c66a94de-86a9-4753-baf7-24357b5365a9Post:8f214bf7-975c-4eeb-8fe3-3992aa7ab03f">Re: Changing Your Name- Advice Please?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Thanks ladies, this simplifies things a bit for me. I guess I will just wait until we get back from our honeymoon, since it will take a while to get the certified marriage certificate. And since we are going overseas, I don't want to change the license when the passport has a different name. I'll start simple with Facebook! :)
    Posted by TBee99[/QUOTE]

    Yeah, if your travel is booked under your maiden name your ID has to match so best bet is to wait until you get back.  I changed my FB name the following night I believe.
  • Our marriage certificate was at the house when we got back from our honeymoon, which we took immediatley.  I went to Social Security first, and then DMV and bank/credit cards. etc.  It really wasn't bad at all in my opinion, and I don't see any need to buy those name change kits. 
  • We got our marriage certificate from the town hall then I went ot the social security office.You have to go there first before the DMV. After both of those places, then I changed my name at work, credit cards, banking info, etc. Most places just required the marriage certificate as proof of name change.
    Anniversary
  • Does anyone happen to know if the process is the same if you don't change your name right after you get married?  I'm planning on keeping my maiden name for now but changing to my FI's last name in the future.  Not sure how it would work since my maiden name would be on the marriage certificate.
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  • edited July 2012
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_connecticut_changing-your-name-advice-please?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:65Discussion:c66a94de-86a9-4753-baf7-24357b5365a9Post:2b6b0b98-e6d8-486c-b705-48ce0f18b557">Re: Changing Your Name- Advice Please?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Does anyone happen to know if the process is the same if you don't change your name right after you get married?  I'm planning on keeping my maiden name for now but changing to my FI's last name in the future.  Not sure how it would work since my maiden name would be on the marriage certificate.
    Posted by willin1310[/QUOTE]

    <div>My maiden name was on the certificate, and we took our marriage license to the SS office and just said we got married and wanted new names. I do not know if there is a time limit on changing your name after the marriage- it might be best if you call your local office and ask them.</div>
  • If you don't do your name change simultaneous with the marriage, it becomes a standard name change - which means you'll have to go to court, and depending on the state will likely have to put an announcement in the newspaper for a certain amount of days.  It's a lot more expensive and a much bigger hassle.  Why not just change it shortly after the wedding (within a few months)?

    image

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