Recently, after much goading from the hubs, I decided to legally change my name. After 25 years of being a Jones, it was hard to make the change. That led me to my decision to hyphenate my name...after all, Jones-McNair just sounds better...
So I google the steps I need to take. The Knot has some awesome advice so I followed this website http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/planning-a-wedding/articles/name-change-101.aspx?MsdVisit=1
This awesome website tells me to go to the Social Security office first, so I do. The SS office was amazing. I waited a total of 10 minutes and it was quick and easy. They told me I would have my new card in 7-10 business days. 5 days later, it was in my mailbox!
So step # 3 on the Knot list goes as follows:
3. Change your license at the DMV
Take a trip to the local Department of Motor Vehicles office to get a new license with your new last name. Bring every form of identification you can lay your hands on -- your old license, your certified marriage license and -- most important -- your new Social Security card
So I head on down to the DMV prepared with everything I need. I wait for an hour and when they finally call my name I am estatic! I show them my old license, my marriage license and my social security card with my new hyphenated last name. Apparently, it is a new rule in the state of GA that if you did not list on your marriage application that you want to hyphenate your name, you can't! So I protest because I have a SS card with my new hyphenated name on it...how can they not hyphenate my driver's license? So they tell me I need to call the Probate Court to change my marriage application. So I
I make it back to work and call the Probate Court and tell them that I want to update my marriage application to show a hyphenated name...the girl on the phone laughed at me and told me that the marriage app is official once it is turned in and there is no way it can be changed and that the only thing I can do it do a name change through Superior Court. So I call Superior Court and ask what I need to do for a legal name change. He goes over the process of it all and then tells me about the $207.50 fee I will have to pay to do this. So I hang up and once again call the hubs and
So I made the executive decision to drop my middle name and use my last name as my middle name instead. So I go back to the DMV and talk to the same lady (because she told me if I came back that day, I wouldn't have to wait) and get everything taken care of at the DMV.
Then, I have to go back to the Social Security office because apparently your license and your SS card have to match. They were very nice about reissuing a new card in my new new name!
So the moral of the story to all of my friends who are engaged or thinking about getting married...Life is much easier if you decide whether you are going to change your name before you fill out the marriage application. Don't wait almost a year and a half like I did!
Hopefully my next post will be happier and full of pictures. Until then...
Love,
K
