Hyphenating last name after marriage: How to decide what’s right for you.

accomplishments which you have gained before your marriage. 

Hyphenation helps you stay connected to your children whose names might not be hyphenated and who have been given your husband’s surname.

Hence the most important reason to consider hyphenation is your identity. You have spent your whole life building your identity under a certain name. You will still be you even after you take your husband’s last name and omit yours entirely. 

But at the same time, you have built up your identity with your name. and hyphenation allows you to respect that. At the same time, this will also appreciate the tradition and your husband’s family identity. 

If you’re thinking whether or not to hyphenate your last name, considering these pros and cons may help:

Pros:

·         The best of both: You can add your partner’s name to it and not have to give up your birth name.

·         Proffered identity: Hyphenating your name after marriage would be a practical way to keep your name recognition.

·         Preventing the extension of a name: When you have children, your surname will carry on for at least another generation.

·        Honor your family legacy: hyphenating your last a name is an excellent option if your last name is predominant or if you are the only one to carry on your family name.

Cons:

·         The name can be healthy: Make sure when your name is joined together via a hyphen you consider how long your name should be.

·         Occasional confusion: Many people ignore hyphens and end up in a mess if your last name is the actual name before the hyphen, the whole two names, or the last name of the two.

Examples of hyphenated last names.

When it comes to hyphenating your last name, which goes first? Generally, there are no hard and fast rules or etiquette when it comes to deciding exactly how you read your hyphenated last name. 

Many couples decide to have both partners change to the hyphenated last name, as a show of unity and equality. You can also choose to list your new last name first, followed by your original last name. You can also list your maiden name first. 

Suppose Diane Keaton marries Woody Allen. They could change their name’s in the following ways:

1.Diane Keaton – Allen

2.Diane Allen – Keaton

3.Woody Keaton – Allen

4.Woody Allen – Keaton

Tips for hyphenating your last name.

If you have decided that hyphenating your last name is the right choice for you after your wedding then following are some tips to be aware of:

Monitor your marriage license application. Some states require that your hyphenated name should be there on your marriage license application. 

Thus after the wedding, this application becomes the legal marriage document. If you don’t get this done right, you may have to spend money and time petitioning the courts to change your name after the marriage legally.

Update your new name change on all legal documents. Now if you have changed your last name you need to update that on all bank accounts, credit cards, medical coverage, property, legal documents, passport, social security card- among others. You need your marriage certificate with you for all these updations.

A bride tip: If you have planned your honeymoon, then your name on your ticket must match your current identification and passport. For any questions regarding your new last name, make sure to inquire with airlines, the marriage bureau, TSA before you depart.

You have to tell people about your new last name. Many people ignore hyphens. If you found that anyone is using your old name, you can correct them politely with a warm smile. When your children are using your new name, you have to check in with their school teachers, doctor offices, dentists, etc. to make sure everyone has the name correctly noted in their files. 

Conclusion:

What matters the most is that the two of you are going to be happily married and hope for the whole of your lives. Hence at the end of the day, whether you choose to keep your names, or you take up with an entirely new name for two of you share or whether you choose to hyphenate your surnames, what matters is that you love each other and are going to be joining your lives together. 

That’s what matters most of all.

Changing Your Name? 5 Things You Should Know

You may want to change names for several reasons; marriage, divorce, gender reassignment, political reasons, or you may just not like the name you were given as a child. Whatever the case, it is important to know what it takes to affect a name change successfully. 

Legal experts at HitchSwitch advise that a name change is a process rather than requires keenness and lots of paperwork. You can do it on your own, but it is advisable to leave this process to experts familiar with the hoops and jumps of the paperwork.  Here are a few things you should know about changing your name;

1. Your new name can be whatever you want it to be, but…

While many people opt for mundane and ordinary names, some opt for stand-out and almost absurd names like Julius Andreas Gimli Arn MacGyver Chewbacka Highlander Elessar-Jankov. Only your creativity limits you, but there a few exceptions.

You can’t take a trademarked name, or a famous name already in use, like Madonna.  You can’t use a number and you can’t use any of the punctuation marks.  Your name should also remain within standards of decency in different aspects; racial, cultural, and political.  It should not be meant to incite feelings of hatred.  You also cannot change your name for dubious purposes like fraud, evading justice, or running away from creditors.

You should also be very keen on the spelling of the new name. you would need to start the process afresh to correct any spelling mistakes or arrangements of the order of names.

2.  Name changes after marriage or divorce are easiest

Most states make name changes after marriage or divorce easier than for any other purpose. After marriage, you can take the name of your spouse as the last name, or add it to your present name with a hyphen.  You can also amalgamate your two names e.g. SimonSally.

You don’t need to petition the court for a name change after marriage. You only need to submit the marriage certificate as proof of name change to wherever it is legally needed e.g. the bank, DMV, Social Security Administration. 

You can switch back to your maiden or original name after divorce by instructing the court to have it on the Decree of Dissolution (Divorce Decree). You can then submit this Decree as proof of the name to whoever legally needs it.

3. Otherwise, you need a court petition

A legal name change for any other purposes than marriage or divorce needs a court petition. You need to prove residency with documents such as a driver’s license and a photo ID.  You will file a petition after which you are given a hearing by the court. If the judge or magistrate is satisfied with the need, the court grants your petition. 

Legal paperwork is often intimidating, and not many people are willing to deal with the courts without a lawyer. While filing the petition is a relatively easy procedure, you can ask for help from experts such as HitchSwitch just to be on the right path.

Engaging professional help makes the process faster.  You will get the instructions and paperwork you need in one shop. These experts also fill the routine details, letters, or emails required and any other information needed for the petition.

4. It will cost you money and time

Be prepared to spend $150-450. The court costs can be $150-300 depending on the state. But there are additional costs for notarization of the documents. It will also cost you to certify duplicates of documents such as driver’s license and marriage certificate.

A name change is also a process that will take a few days or up to two weeks depending on your ability to get together the paperwork needed, and the workload of the courts. With expert help, it can take 3-5 days, and it can drag on for weeks doing it alone if you have to shuttle back and forth between offices.

5.  Update your new name everywhere it is needed

A legal name change is not effective until your new name is submitted where it is legally needed.  in addition to government and financial institutions, you may also need to let it known in other forums. Here is a checklist of where to submit your new name;

Government Agencies

●       Social Security Administration-   For the processing of a new social security card.

●       Department of Motor Vehicles- For the processing of a new driver’s license, car title, and registration.

●       Voter Registration- If you want to vote under your new name

●       State Department- For the processing of a new passport

Financial institutions

You will need to match your new government-issued photo-ID to the details with your bank and any other financial institutions. You will need to affect the new name to access;

●       Checking and savings accounts,

●       Bank checks

●       Bank cards

●       Credit and debit cards

●       Money market accounts and CDs

●       Assets such as property titles, deeds, trusts

●       Debt accounts such as mortgages and loans

●       Individually organized Investment accounts, including IRAs and 401ks

Residential purposes

The new name is needed for;

●       Updating your homeowners or renter’s insurance

●       Landlord correspondence

●       Updating details with the homeowner’s association or management agency

●       Updating with utility providers like electric, gas, water, telephones, internet, and cable

Your workplace

●       Employer – This is to update your W2 forms, 401k, health insurance, life insurance, employee benefits, email, business cards, nameplate, and work website

●       Workers unions and Professional Organizations- Update your details with professional certification boards like the State Bar to issue updated professional licenses

●       Update your personal website if you are a freelancer

Social circles

You can opt to let people in your social circles know of the new name by updating your social media including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and so on.  Also, update your blog to alert your audience.

Effecting a legal name change is a process that requires keenness and accuracy. You can do it alone or quicker with help from experts. Are you ready to change your name? HitchSwitch is ready to help all the way.