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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!

The 6 Steps of North Carolina Name Change

Congratulations on your wedding in North Carolina! From the picturesque beaches of the Outer Banks to the bustling streets of Raleigh and Charlotte, this state is all about new beginnings. So, you’re thinking of changing your name post-marriage? Here’s a simple guide for you. Start by obtaining a certified copy of your marriage certificate from the county where you tied the knot. With this document, head over to the Social Security Administration to get your Social Security card updated. Once done, the North Carolina DMV is your next stop for a new driver’s license reflecting your new surname. It’s also a good idea to inform banks, credit card companies, and other essential institutions about your name change. Dive into this new chapter with enthusiasm and embrace your new identity in the beautiful state of North Carolina. For more details and guidance, www.missnowmrs.com has a wealth of information on name change after marriage. Cheers to your new journey and your new name! Keep reading for the details…

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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. So, simply complete the form and file by mail (you will need to send your driver’s license or U.S. passport). Alternately you can in-person. In approximately 2 weeks, your new social security card with your new married name will be issued.

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!

North Carolina Name Change Steps

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.

New Spouse, New Name, New Journey: Embrace Your New Married Life.

With Personalized Name Change Services for Every Newlywed.

Ready for a New Name? Order Now!

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!

How long it takes to legally change your name in North Carolina will depend on several factors, but expect a few months of waiting for your new paperwork to arrive after you start filing. Currently filing for a passport takes the longest, which wait times of several months.

You will need to get copies of your certified marriage certificates from the North Carolina county that you were married in.

This list is valid for name change throughout North Carolina, including Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Durham, Winston-Salem, Fayetteville, Cary, Wilmington, High Point, and Concord.

REAL ID and Married Name Change | 2020

REAL ID and Married Name Change

Wondering how to handle filing for a REAL ID and married name change? The MissNowMrs name change experts have done the research for you. Follow our advice for the easiest way to obtain a REAL ID with your new name.

To obtain a REAL ID you need to provide proof of identity, proof of Social Security Number, and Proof of residence in your state.

Change your name with Social Security first. Then wait for your new card with your new married name to arrive in the mail. It takes approximately 2 weeks for the Social Security Administration to process your request for a new Social Security Card.

You will also need to bring a certified marriage certificate to file for your REAL ID. Do not bring a photocopy. The DMV requires the original document to process your name change.

Heads up! You cannot use the same document as a proof of ability to drive, proof of identity, AND as a proof of Social Security number. You must have separate documents as each proof.  

Real ID Proof of Identity

DMV offices have a very specific list of documents they will accept as your proof of identity. We’ve made a list of them below. Please note that your document must be original and must list your full legal name and date of birth. Remember, you only need one of these documents.

  • Unexpired US Passport or Passport Card
  • US Birth Certificate or Birth Certification Card filed with a state office of vital statistics
  • Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) issued by the US Department of State
  • Unexpired Permanent Resident Card
  • Certificate of Naturalization
  • Certificate of US Citizenship
  • Unexpired Foreign Passport with accompanying Visa**
  • Unexpired Employment Authorization Card**

REAL ID Proof of Social Security Number

Next, each DMV requires proof of a Social Security number before they can issue a REAL ID. Any document you provide to prove your Social Security number must contain all 9 digits and your full name. We’ve made a list of acceptable documents below.

  • Social Security card bearing your full name, Social Security number, and signature
  • Pay statement reflecting full name and full Social Security number
  • W-2 (wage and tax statement) reflecting your full name and full Social Security number
  • 1099 Form reflecting your full name and full Social Security number

REAL ID Proof of State Residence

Finally, Proof of residence is just that; documents that prove you live at your current address in your current state. The DMV requires that you provide two different documents showing your address that are not from the company, business, or agency. We’ve made a list of acceptable documents below! *Please note that each document must show your name and address and have been issued in the last 60 days.

  • Utility bill
  • Telephone bill
  • Deed, mortgage, or settlement agreement
  • Unexpired lease or rental agreement with your name listed as the lessee or renter. This may be a photocopy.
  • State property tax bill or tax assessment issued within the last 12 months
  • Unexpired homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy
  • Bank/credit card/investment account statement
  • Official mail—received from ANY government agency including the contents and envelope. *Except mail from the DMV.
  • Student loan statement
  • Car/personal loan statement

We hope this article has helped you better understand the REAL ID and married name change process. Please feel free to call or email our name change experts if you need additional help!

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Name Change After Marriage In Texas: Tips & Tricks

Are you getting marred in the Lone Star State? If so, don’t forget to think about your name change. Not every bride changes her name, but 88% of women in the United States do elect to change their names after marriage. If you’re confused about your options or the name change process, don’t worry! We have all the insider tips and tricks on how to change your name in Texas after marriage.

New Spouse, New Name, New Journey: Embrace Your New Married Life.

With Personalized Name Change Services for Every Newlywed.

Ready for a New Name? Order Now!

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Texas Married Name Change Options

Let’s talk options. As someone getting married in Texas, you can keep your maiden name. Take your spouse’s last name. Hyphenate your last names. Take two last names without a hyphen. Or, take your maiden name as a middle name. Uncertain which new last name is best for you? Answer a few questions at the Married Name Game. Your ideal option will be calculated based on key life indicators and your personal style.

Texas Married Name Change

Texas Marriage License Tips

One you’ve decided upon the name change that works best for you, the next step is filing for your marriage license. In Texas, you are not required to write your intended married name on the application, so no worries there. Once you get married, the county clerk’s office will issue you a certified marriage certificate. This is the legal document you need to file your federal and state name change forms. We highly suggest purchasing one or two additional certified copies so you can file multiple name-change forms.

Texas Married Name Change Forms & Advice

Next up, is finding and completing the appropriate name change forms to update your name with the Social Security Administration, the State Department (for your new passport,) the IRS, the US Postal Service. The Social Security Administration will process your form and issue your new Social Security card within 2 weeks. *Please note that while your name changes, your Social Security number will remain the same. The State Department will process your request and issue your new U.S. passport within 5-6 weeks unless you elect to pay for expedited service.

After filing with the federal agencies, you will need to file your state-level name change forms. Texas was one of the only states that didn’t have a name change form for you to complete. But, now it does! Simply bring your completed DMV form, current driver’s license, your certified marriage certificate, proof of residence (ex: utility bill, paycheck,) and $11 for the processing fee.

You will also need to update your name with the Voter Registration Bureau, and on your vehicle title or lease. The last step before you are an official Mrs., is to notify all of your banks, credit cards, insurances, mortgages, and service providers of your new married name. Many times you can call these offices to request your name change. Or, you can send a notification letter requesting the new name on your account.

The Simple Name Change Solution

New Spouse, New Name, New Journey: Embrace Your New Married Life.

With Personalized Name Change Services for Every Newlywed.

Ready for a New Name? Order Now!

20% Off the Ultimate Name Change Package for a limited time.

If the name change process seems overwhelming, or like it would take some of the fun out of your newlywed bliss, we have good news! MissNowMrs is the easiest way to go from Miss to Mrs. You can get started on your name change in Texas online. Our easy name change app or online name-change service condenses the tedious 13 hours process into minutes! You then choose whether you want to print your forms or have us print them for you. We’re happy to mail them to you along with pre-addressed pre-posted envelopes. Our goal is to make your new beginning easier!

Don’t miss our video about Texas Name Change!

In order to change your name in Texas after marriage you will need to get a marriage certificate from the county that you were married in.

These tips and tricks for changing your name in Texas will work everywhere in the state including Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, Arlington, Corpus Christi, Plano, and Lubbock.

Sheryl Sandberg’s Name Change

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!

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Married Name Change in 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!

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