Traditionally, and almost everywhere until the 20th century, a bride took her husband’s last name. Today, however, there’s a lot more freedom. Many marrying women have chosen to keep the name they were born with or use some other variation. Sometimes, women hyphenate their maiden names with their new spouse’s last name, or make their maiden names their new middle names. Some couples even create a brand new, unique last name that they both will adopt after the marriage. The options are endless when it comes to a title change before marriage or after divorce. If you desire or need to change your name after a marriage or after a divorce, or if you merely need sound advice to help you make the right decision, contact an experienced Boca Raton family law attorney right away. Whatever choice you make, it’s your decision alone, and it’s important. You’ll want to consider:
- any professional brand, identity, and reputation that you may have already established
- how your name will impact the naming of your children
- any cultural importance or other meaning or value associated with your maiden name
- social implications, and even the sound and spelling of the name
- whether you want to go through the time consuming legal process of changing your name
It is important to keep in mind that changing your legal title is not as easy as it may seem. If you change your name at the time of your marriage – or after a divorce – you probably already understand that you will have to do a considerable amount of work. When you marry and take your spouse’s last title, everyone you do business with, from the IRS to Social Security, your bank, the DMV, and the post office will have to be notified. You will need the credit card companies that you do business with to issue you new cards with your new title so they match your identification card. Should you subsequently divorce, you may decide to go through the entire process again. It’s important to know that the Social Security Administration will accept only an original marriage certificate or a certified copy and an original divorce decree or a certified copy.
Although it is common to change your title after a divorce, many women keep their married title, especially if they have children with their ex-spouse. This allows them to feel more connected with their children since they share the same name. Remember, the decision to change your title before and after a divorce is entirely yours. But, you can still seek help from a knowledgeable Boca Raton family law attorney.
Anyone in south Florida with questions or concerns regarding title changes, pre-nuptial agreements, or other marriage-related legal issues – and anyone changing a name after a divorce – should know that help and advice is available right now. Don’t go through this without the assistance of an experienced Boca Raton family law attorney. Contact an experienced Boca Raton divorce attorney right away to obtain the legal services and advice you need.