Danielle Tate

Looking for name change advice or some tips for newlywed life? The MissNowMrs experts have created state-specific name change articles and checklists for you. We’ve chronicled our recommendations for how to travel while changing your name AND how to handle voting during the transition.

We’ve also compiled our best guidance for how to handle difficult sister in laws, holidays as newlyweds, the ever-annoying baby questions, and much more. Why? Because, while we are name change experts, we’re also newlywed wives, moms, and sisters.

We hope our name change advice articles help smooth your transition to your new name, and a whole new phase of life. Congratulations and best wishes from the entire MissNowMrs team!

Feb 19 2020

Sheryl Sandberg’s Name Change

After reading about her engagement to Tom Bernthal, our first thought was the potential of Sheryl Sandberg’s name change. Will she be the first high profile name change of 2020? Our name change experts break down the potential below!

Sheryl Sandberg’s Name Change History

Sheryl Sandberg did not choose to change her name after her marriage to Josh Goldberg. She also didn’t change her name after her first marriage to Brian Kraff. So, based on those we’re starting to believe Sheryl might not change her name

Sheryl’s Age and Education

Sheryl Sandberg is currently 50 years old. Studies have shown that the older a woman is at the time of her marriage, the less likely she is to change her name. As far as education goes, Sheryl graduation from Harvard business school. This is another tick in the not changing her name box. Sociologists agree that the more advanced education a woman has, the more likely she is to hang onto her maiden name.

Sheryl’s Career

The more a woman’s name is tied to her career, the less likely she is to change her name. Sheryl is a world-famous technology executive at Facebook. She’s also best-selling author and billionaire. So, when you weigh those life factors her name change seems highly unlikely.

The Love Factor

There’s a factor that no researcher can accurately measure: love. Many celebrity newlyweds do opt to change their names after marriage. Women like Heidi Klum, Amal Clooney, Hailey Beiber, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas have changed their names against all odds. Some cite feeling “all in”on their marriage. While others feel like name change is a romantic tradition they wanted to continue. Sheryl could surprise the world and opt to hyphenate her last name!

In our expert opinion, Sheryl Sandberg is highly unlikely to change her name after marriage. But, if she does, we’d love for her to use our name change app or online service!

Help Me Change My Name

Jan 23 2020

Married Name Change in 2020

Whether you needed to regroup after the wedding, made a New Year’s resolution, or are anticipating filing taxes jointly as a married couple; 2020 kicks off a flurry of newlyweds taking on married name change. If you’re part of that population don’t worry! The MissNowMrs experts are here to help guide you through the process.

Choose the Right Married Name For You

It’s 2020, and the good news is that there are many married name change options available to you. You have the option to keep your maiden name, hyphenate your last name with your spouse’s, take two last names without a hyphen, take your maiden name as your middle name, add your maiden name as a second middle name, or simply swap your maiden name for your spouse’s last name. So, simply pick the married name that’s best for you and your situation.

*Heads up! Not all states allow all variations of married name change, so please check your state laws.

Maiden to middle name change and taking two last names (sans hyphen) are the two most popular married name change options as we head into 2020.
Danielle Tate, MissNowMrs founder
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Get Your Ducks (aka Documents) in a Row

The best way to simplify your name change process is to get organized BEFORE you begin. Call or stop by the county clerk’s office that issued your marriage license and request 2-3 certified marriage certificates. You will need these certificates to file for your new name at numerous federal, state, and local government offices.

Research the married name change filing order in your state of residence. Many states require you to change your name with Social Security and either wait 24 hours, or wait to bring your new Social Security card showing your married name, before updating your driver’s license. Still other state offices require you to file for your name change with a Social Security card in your maiden name.

Prior planning will save you a ton of stress as you move through your name change process. You should also learn the processing times for the offices in your state and government. Why does this matter? It has to do with travel. If you change your name on your driver’s license and/or passport, but have flights booked in your maiden name you will most likely have to re-purchase new tickets (if any are available.)

Change Your Name the Easy Way

Feeling stressed about figuring out the requirements and timelines related to changing your name after marriage? Technology to the rescue! Newlyweds in 2020 don’t have to waste countless hours bogged down with their name changes. The MissNowMrs App or online name change service allow you to transition to your new name in minutes!

Oct 23 2019

The 6 Steps of North Carolina Name Change

Thinking about changing your name in North Carolina? Every state has different married name change laws and filing orders, but don’t stress! The MissNowMrs name change experts have broken the process into 6 steps to smooth your transition to your new married name.

Step 1: Change Your Name with Social Security

North Carolina requires newlyweds to file the SS-5 form with Social Security as the first step of their married name change process. So, simply complete the form and file by mail (you will need to send your driver’s license or U.S. passport) or in-person. In approximately 2 weeks, your new social security card with your new married name will be issued and mailed to you.

Step 2: Change Your Name with the IRS

The next step in the North Carolina name change process is filing the IRS 8822 form with the IRS. The good news is it’s a one page form that is free to file. Not every opts to complete the IRS 8822. But, we encourage our clients to file it to make sure the office knows their new name and maiden name when tax season arrives!

Step 3: Change Your Name with the DMV

To update your North Carolina driver’s license with your married name, you will need to first file your SS-5 form and wait at to receive your updated Social Security Card. Then, bring it, along with your completed DMV form, certified marriage certificate, car insurance card, and $10.00 in cash to the DMV. The office will issue your new driver’s license the same day!
If you are applying for a Real ID, you will also need to bring a certified copy of your birth certificate or your unexpired U.S. passport (it can still be in your maiden name.) *Heads up! There may be an additional fee for your Real ID.

We highly encourage you to complete the section of the North Carolina driver’s license form where you can elect to update your name on your voter registration. This will enable you to vote locally and nationally with your new married name.

Step 4: Change Your Name with the State Department

Changing your name with the State Department, involves filling in the DS-11 passport form or the DS-5504 passport form. You can then file it with your current passport (or passport card,) your certified marriage certificate, two passport photos, and the listed processing fee. Word to the wise: U.S passports take approximately 5-6 weeks to be issued. So, it’s smart to give yourself 2 months to file before any international travel.

Step 5: Change Your Name with Your Creditors

After you’ve filed you name change forms with the state and federal offices, it is time to notify all of your creditors of your new name. The normal list of creditors includes your banks, credit cards, insurances, mortgage providers, student loan companies, medical providers, utilities, memberships, and magazines. Many of these companies can be contacted by phone, but some (especially banks) require you to come into a local office with your certified marriage certificate to change the name on your account.

Step 6: Simplify You Name Change with MissNowMrs

Name change typically takes 13 hours. That’s 13 hours of your newlywed life spent searching for forms, reading fine print, manually completing forms, and then figuring out what order to file them in (which is state-specific.) You will also need to research which offices you need to file each form at. It’s a super unfun process.

Fortunately, the MissNowMrs App and online name change service can streamline your name change. We automate all the tedious repetitive parts of the name change process saving our clients over 13 hours of stress.
So, if you’re thinking about changing your name after marriage in North Carolina, the MissNowMrs app, service, and name change experts are at your service!

Oct 04 2019

Heidi Klum’s Married Name Change

Congratulations to Heidi Klum… now Mrs. Heidi Kaulitz! Heidi Klum’s married name change makes her the latest celebrity to make the switch to Mrs.! She has followed the recent celebrity married name change trend of filing to change her last name to match her new husband’s last name of Kaulitz. The entire MissNowMrs team wishes the newlyweds a lifetime of love and happiness!

Other celebrities who recently decided to change their very famous names include Katharine McPhee Foster, Hailey Bieber, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Gwyneth Faltrow (yes she blended last names,) and Amal Clooney. Statistics show that women who have a career tied to name recognition, such as doctors, lawyers, movie stars, super models, etc. are much more likely to hang onto their maiden names.

So, why are these famous newlyweds taking the name change plunge? The answer lies in how personal a name change decision is. There are all the “official factors” and then there are the “personal factors.” What is the tradition in the newlyweds’ families? How do they perceive name change? Do they want to show the world that they’re “all in?” These personal factors tend to have more weight in the name change decision than statistically relevant factors. Heidi Klum’s married name change seems to be more personally motivated than officially motivated in our expert opinions.

If you’re a newlywed considering something along the line of Heidi Klum’s name change, the MissNowMrs name change experts are at your disposal. Give us a call, text, or email with your name change questions or to learn more about how our name change app and service save newlyweds upwards of 13 hours of name change hassle!

Photo Credit: Heidi Klum’s Instagram @heidiklum (wonder if she will change that?!)

Sep 12 2019

Katharine McPhee’s Married Name Change

Katharine McPhee is the latest celebrity newlywed to embrace married name change. The singer, song writer actress change her name to Mrs. Katherine McPhee Foster after her marriage to David Foster.

Name change after marriage isn’t for every newlywed, but McPhee seemed to relish the idea. During an Entertainment Tonight interview she was asked about her married name change and said, “I’ve always liked the idea that it’s still a traditional thing that exists in our society…. I think it’s romantic, and it’s a great last name!”

Tradition and romance are the two wild card factors that come into play when a newlywed considers name change. Mrs. McPhee Foster joins the company of other celebrities like Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Gwyneth Faltrow (yes she blended names,) Hailey Bieber, and Amal Clooney, who opted to change their names after marriage (despite their fame.)

We wish her a lifetime of love and happiness in her marriage!