Should I Change My Name When I Get Married?
Cool! Congrats! You’ve gotten married. What’s next? Are you going to change your name? You might have certain questions such as why do I even need/want to change my name?
I’ve had a think and small research as to why some people choose to and some people don’t.
Personally, I changed my name from Shipard to Davis. As to why, I really don’t know the exact motive, apart from sounding like a pretty cool name, Sally Jean Davis. Or perhaps not having to spell my name out every time in the future will save time? I also think that if we did have a child, life admin would be made easier if we all had the same name…
I knew April wasn’t going to take on the surname Shipard. It didn’t phase me, but since pondering this blog, I’ve asked her why, she has a couple of reasons. Aside from the fact she doesn’t necessarily subscribe to the traditional way of doing things, she likes her current name and there are no boys in her immediate family and I have three in mine. Given both sides, taking on Davis made sense and as I have already pointed out, there is a certain ring to my new found surname and maybe that’s what pushed me over the edge.
Regardless of what you decide it will be a conversation you and your lover have. If not initiated by you two, someone else is bound to ask the question.
I found some helpful information on the Easy Weddings website for some ideas to ponder as to what you choose with the whole name thing…
Below I have also listed the steps to changing your name, it was a list provided to me by a bride that a married a while back, she had inherited the list from a friend of hers… So consider it a tried and tested method. Julia Jones… (who has chosen to change her name).
I will premise the below list with this, your celebrant has two weeks after your wedding date to send in your legal documents to Birth, Deaths and Marriages (in the respective state/territory of which you tied the knot). Usually this happens within the first couple of days, after the BDM receives the documents they then have to process your marriage. So, allow 3-4 weeks to pass before reaching out. Please note, the following list has quite the Canberra flavour…
Go to government registry online and request a marriage certificate. E.g. Access Canberra and pay $55 (from memory) – allow 2 weeks to receive certificate.
Once you receive your certificate in the post you can go to Access Canberra shopfront and get new drivers licence - take marriage certificate, old drivers licence - free (new photo to be taken)
Go to banks with new drivers licence and marriage certificate (if you are with ING – presuming you’ve probs read the barefoot investor) you will have to get certified copies and send via email due to their being no shop front.
Apply for passport renewal online (if still two years+ remaining on current passport it’s free) YAY.
Go to Medicare/Centrelink shopfront. Take marriage certificate. Change name. You can get husband/wife/significant other’s name on same card just need their signature on the form.
Go to police station with 3 copies of marriage certificate (and of new drivers licence), get the JP to certify them. Once again, can be used to send to your super fund as well as banks that don’t have a local branch.
Updating land title etc happens around here too. I am not familiar with these steps. But the above should help and maybe that’s one for you to google.
I do hope the above information is helpful and whatever you decide, you do you.
Many thanks,
Sally Jean Davis (formerly Shipard).
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