Tip:
What about my name?
It's another wedding decision to be made, another choice you
must make as you enter into married life. Will you change your
name?
If you do, you must be prepared to be Mrs. John Smith or Mrs.
Mary Smith and if you don't, your families may not be happy—especially
his family.
Your final decision will depend on many factors—some personal
and some business.
Some women keep their name for professional reasons—their
careers may be set and a name change just will not work. It can
be too confusing for clients.
Other women choose to change or keep their names for purely practical
reasons.
The question for some that keep their names may be what to do
when they have children. For many women, the issues of family
identity and future children prompt them to change their names.
Tradition is a powerful force. When you get married, you form
a family and everyone in that family takes the same last name—your
husband's.
In
the end, you may decide to compromise. Some couples hyphenate
their names and both become Jones-Smith. You can also decide to
keep your maiden name and use it as your middle name—Jennifer
Barton Smith. You may choose to keep your maiden name only professionally
and your married name socially. And, yes, there are probably other
ideas that may work better for you.
If you choose to change your name, you will need to change the
following documents:
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• Contact the Social Security office
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• Credit Accounts
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• Drivers License
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• Stocks
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• Vehicle Registration
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• Bonds
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• Voter Registration card
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• Wills
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• Passport
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• Insurance Policies
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• your Employer's Records
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• Property Titles
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• Bank Accounts
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• Medical Records
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Think it through before you make a final decision. I know you
will make the best decision for you and your family.
