You just finished unpacking from your tropical honeymoon and are still in the midst of that after-wedding euphoria; you keep re-living the magical day over and over again and are anxiously awaiting to see all of the beautiful photos (we’re working on edits, promise!). As you lovingly gaze at your new KitchenAid mixer and think about all of the homemade muffins you will be baking for your new husband, it hits you… YOU NOW HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR NAME! (gulp)
It is true what they say: changing your name is no easy process and can be a bit stressful once you begin to realize just how many things your maiden name is attached to. Before having a panic attack, it is best to make a checklist and go through each point (one at a time so you don’t feel overwhelmed!).
Our advice would be to try and tackle two or three items per week; before you know it, you’ll be done and ready to enjoy married life with your new name!
Here are the FIRST items you’ll need to take care of, in the order you should tackle them:
- Social security
- Driver’s license
- Passport
Here’s the list of documents you’ll want to consider for changing your last name:
- Banking information
- Credit cards
- Email address(es)
- Social media profiles (Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.)
- Health insurance
- Car registration and insurance
- Any other insurance accounts
- Utility companies
- Student loans
- Mortgages/apartment rental contracts
- Voter registration (often this can accompany your driver’s license name change)
- Gym membership (or any other memberships for that matter)
- Payroll (talk to HR)
- Business cards
- Store/shopping accounts (Costco, Amazon, etc.)
Don’t worry, it will be worth it in the end! The quicker you get through the list, the sooner you can get back to living in newlywed bliss.
