How long can I go without changing my name?

endlesslove · April 9, 2009

We're thinking about pushing up our legal date to next month so we can buy our first house. With the VA we need to be married for my income to count. We're getting married next may, and didn't plan on doing this until January 2010.

My question is- I know when you sign your marriage license you're supposed to sign your new name that you'll use once you're married, right? We don't want to change my name until our DW because that's our real wedding to us, this is just for legal things. Would I just sign it with my name now? Can it be changed later on? This has me so confused because it just feels like everything should match up.

aimee! · April 9, 2009

somebody correct me if i'm wrong...

but you can wait. you can wait as long as you want. there is nothing that requires you to ever change your name. ever. when i signed my marriage license i signed my maiden name, and there is NOTHING on the license that has my married name on it. that is a completely different process.

i was married in wisconsin, and every state is different, but in our state we had to apply for the marriage license 2 weeks before the ceremony date, and that is when we signed it. then, at the legal ceremony, the pastor & 2 witnesses signed it and then it was legal.

after that i needed to request (pay) for copies of the license and take them to the social security office and DMV to get a new SS card and drivers' license. it was only then that my name changed. we were legally married for over a week before my name changed, and it was a completely voluntary process.

another important note: if you are planning to travel after your legal day you should be careful to make sure that your name on your passport & drivers license match. it might just be easier to take care of the name change after the destination wedding (which seemed like your plan all along)

-Kate- · April 9, 2009

You just sign your legal name on the marriage documents. You don't change your name first -that comes after the wedding at any point. I am not changing my name and we've been married for over a year. There is no need to change yours until after your DW.

GracieBebe · April 10, 2009

You can wait as long as you want. I have a friend who took 5 years before she legally changed her name to her husband's name. She kept meaning to do it, but just never got around to it until about 2 months ago, LOL!

jenniferstratton · April 15, 2009

YOu sign your legal name at the time of the wedding and then change your name afterwards, as long as the name you are assuming is on the marriage license its fine. You can do it whenever you want, a friend of mine got married last may and hasn't finished changing everything over.