New nestie here/name change advice

SeptemberBride16

Hi everyone!

 Just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Christine and I got married this past weekend on 9/4/10 in Chicago. I live with my husband in the Albany Park area and already know a few of you from Knottie GTGs and Nestie bookclub. 

 Also, I'm a little clueless about how to start the process of changing my last name. I know I need to go to the DMV, bank, and work on my passport and credit cards, but is there one place I need to go first or can I just work my way down the list? Also, I've heard you can go to a social security office or you can mail in an application. Any recommendations for doing one over the other? And, how long after you send in your marriage license did you get your marriage certificate?  

TIA! 

Kristin1380

Hi Christine, I'm Kristin.  We're anniversary twins! (9/4/09 tho)  I think it would be best if you went to Social Security first.  You pretty much need your SS card to do everything else. I went to the actual office downtown, and was in and out in about 10 minutes-no problem.  As far as the marriage certificate, I went to the City Clerk's office and got one about a month after the wedding. 

Hope this helps!

JennyQ1985

Hi!  I've been married 16 months and still haven't changed my SS card (opps haha).  I started at the DMV and then bank, mortgage lender, student loan lenders, credit cards, utilities, subscriptions and then passport.  If you're passport was issued within the last year, the name change is free. 

celiabeth

Starting with Social Security is the way to go.  You will need your marriage license for this.  With the SS card and your marriage certificate in hand you can change your name for anything else.  Some people only require you tell them the new name and others require proof, such as the SS card or license.  Your employer will need your new SS card. 

On a side note, I am hosting a Nestie get together brunch on Saturday, September 18th.  Look for my posting from last week about this.  You are welcome to join us.

raeyn

Hey married lady! How was your mini-moon?

As far as the name change thing goes, I found it to be way easier than I had expected. I got my marriage certificate and then took it in person to social security (http://www.socialsecurity.gov/online/ss-5.pdf). You can mail it, but it's pretty fast if you just go there.

I did not need to wait for my new card to arrive before changing other stuff. I went to the DMV next, which was really easy. They printed my new driver's license and state ID on the spot. Although the guy who worked there told me he doesn't believe in marriage and tried to convince me that I should not change my name because it's harder to change it back when I get divorced.

After that I did credit cards and bank accounts. I did the passport much later because of immigration and travel reasons. Walgreen's was next (I didn't have health insurance before I was married). I still haven't gotten around to things like my Blockbuster account or library card, but I'm pretty sure they don't care. At first I thought it was super important that everything be changed all at once, but I've since learned that it really doesn't matter if you have two different names for a while.

Good luck! 

scubagirl81

I changed all the big stuff in this order: SS card, driver's license, bank accounts & CC's, and passport. I figured the other stuff wasn't really as important, and I have to say I was very surprised at how pretty much everything else eventually started showing up with my new name on it. It was actually kind of freaky!

Jen

LexiMS

Hi!  Congrats, the pics I saw were great!

I did SS first, I did this at the Hillside (I think) office during the week and it literally took 10 minutes.  I did the drivers license yesterday, that was a bit more of a pain, just because you need a lot of paperwork if you are also changing from out of state, and I needed to take the written test (which I did not know about!)  The DMV updated my voter registration. Next we are going to combine bank accounts.

I got added to H's insurance.  I still need to officially change with work, so I have had to sign everything with both names.  Also, practice your married signature, so you dont sign your new ss card with your old name...yup, I did that.