How to After The Ceremony How-2

How To File Your Marriage License

Take your signed marriage license * with the seal, to any courthouse vital statistics department in the county you obtained the license.

Buy your certified copy (s) of the marriage license while you wait. You will leave with the certificates in hand.
- Read the back of the marriage license for cost & location
- you will need to purchase at least three (3) certified copies to change your name.
- you will need 2-4 certified copies for immigration paperwork.

How To Change Your Name

Last Name Change, could be both partners.

You must begin the name change process within the first year of marriage.

Just got hitched and now you want to change your last name. No Problem. Here’s Rev Pam’s easy 1,2,3.. how to change your name.

Social Security Office
- Take one certified copy of your marriage filing with your social security card to the social security office. There you will need to bring in this document filled out or you can get one at the office when you come in. This PDF details what you need to bring if you were born outside the US. You will be updating your original SS# to a new name. Show them your certified copy of the marriage license and your original card and your ID.
- You must begin the name change process within the first year of marriage
- Remember – you are updating your current SS# not creating a new one.

Department of Motor Vehicle
- Now take a second certified copy with your new SS card to the DMV and they will give you a form to fill out to change your name. wait in line. leave with the license.
- be prepared if its been awhile you might have to get a new photo too.
- while your there make sure you update your organ donor information and voters registration name or you may not be able to vote next time around.
- To participate in Illinois elections, you must register to vote with the Illinois Board of Elections. You may also obtain a voter registration form and register to vote through the IL Secretary of State when you apply for a driver’s license

PASSPORT: Post Office, Land Lord, UPS and FedX

LETS START WITH THE US POST OFFICE. The local post office has a State Department office for the purpose of updating your passport information and mailing address. You do need to schedule an appointment online before you go in. When you do they will give you a list of things to bring to that appointment. here is A LINK to find the closest one
if you plan to travel for your honeymoon start this process "AFTER YOU GET BACK"
while you’re at the post office fill out the address change / name change form and turn that in so they are aware of the name / address change for snail mail delivery.
Go online and login to your UPS and FEDX accounts or make one. add the new name to your address. Dont forget Amazon

After updating your identification, you’ll need to notify

All employers. This sounds obvious, but it’s needed for new business cards, payroll and withholding tax forms.
Your insurance companies (car, health, home, rent, life).
Your high school record and college records
Your doctor, dentist, optician, veterinarian, and pharmacist.
Your bank or credit union and all other financial institutions, Including IRA Loans Safety Dep. Box 401K stocks and bonds pension
All utility companies (electric, phone, cable, gas).
Magazine and newspaper circulation departments.
State and federal tax departments.
Your landlord or mortgage company.
Credit card companies.
Government assistance programs, if applicable.
Veteran Affairs Department, if applicable.
Your county tax assessor.
Your library.

to avoid possible confusion updating:

Car title, lease, car registration and club memberships
Will
Power of Attorney
Health care directive
Living trusts

What about the kids?

Name Change

You must begin the name change process within the first year of marriage.

School records
A note to each teacher personally from you
Coaches, gymnastics, dance all need to know that the last names maybe different and they need to know about the legal union
POA Medical for the step-parent is important
Custody paperwork and visitations
Health and life insurance, Medicaid, and touch base with the school counselor so they know if the change in family dynamics.

Here is a story I lifted off the internet which may help you to decide what you want to do.

weddingwire.com/wedding-forums

I've heard that having a name that differs from your child's can make things difficult, requiring papers for proof of parenthood for things that you normally wouldn't need it. With that, my mom had children in two different marriages, so we had different names. She hyphenated her last name, so she can both names of her kids. I think that would be the easiest option. I know not everyone likes hyphenating names, but it would also be a nice way for your son to know that you're still connected to him, no matter what.

School

When you get married it adds a lot of changes to the family dynamics. Who will pick up the kids. Are they on the "list" how will the last name change impact the kids if your name if different then theirs? If you have another child will that exclude your first born different names child? Lots to consider.

Travel

To travel with a child with a different name or a friends child I recommend a signed and notarized consent letter from the child's parent or parents, such as our Child Travel Consent Form. Be sure to include the child's name, the companion's name, the dates of travel, the destination, the parents' names and contact information, and a statement of permission from the parents.