Name change.

[sunshinee50]

What is the name of your state? PA

I am planning on getting married next year. I would like to pick up my maiden name along with the new last name, no hyphen. I hope this one lasts but I have learned there are no guarantees. If it doesn't I want to be able to drop the last name and keep the maiden name as the last name. Can this be done on the marriage license or do I have to go through a legal issue?

 

[zippysgoddess]

Ah, I am in PA, too, so I know this answer! YEAH!

Anyway, in Pa, all you do is take your marriage license to your local Social Security Office, and fill out an application for a new card, you can make the name whatever you want. A representative at the office will look at your license, and sign the form as a witness to the validity of the name change, and you are done.

In the event of divorce, you would do the same thing, go in, show your divorce papers, fill out another app with the name you would like to use, a rep will view the papers, sign as a witness, and you are done.

Unless you are changing your name for some other reason, no court filing, or fees are required, Pa makes it pretty easy in the event of marriage or divorce. You can double check this info with your local SS office if you wish.

However, when we got married, and went in, as well as some friends of ours who were married much more recently, that is all we had to do, and the same for my sister after her divorce.

There are the only situtations where PA will give you a free, legal name change. I was unsure of what to do when I went into the office, it was someone else, after we got married, who directed me there, but the workers there will glady help you. The woman who was my witness, even told me I could legally, at that time, and for free, change my whole name if I wanted to, even my first name, so I took the opportunity to drop the middle name that I always hated! LOL! I kept the initial, so my middle name is now just L.

 

[sunshinee50]

Thank you so much for the response! So I hope I understand this correctly. Do I apply for the marriage license with the name I want to use first and then go to the SS office to apply for a new social security card? I didn't realize it was that easy or I would have done this with the second marriage. Yeah this is my third time around and the last . I am smarter this time and I want to cover every aspect. If this one doesn't work then I want to remain with the name I was given at birth.

 

[zippysgoddess]

No, you would apply for your marriage license in whatever your current, legal name is, for instance mine has my maiden name on it, you do not make a change, until after the ceremony, and the license has been signed by your officiator, be it a priest, judge, or whomever.

Yes, it is very easy in PA. I think several states are more complicated, but we are lucky here.