Checks only addressed to him?

Likely because your last name is not officially changed yet and they are afraid it will cause problems at the bank when cashing them. Don’t let things like this get you upset. The card was addressed to both of you.

View Quoted Comment I’m not changing my name (and we aren’t married yet anyway!) but I guess that makes sense if I was.

That is not the reason at all!! I'm certain people wrote the check in only his name (I'm assuming they're people that know him primarily) is just to make it easier to cash. Sometimes banks get weird about cashing check with 2 names on them.. if you don't have a joint account, or they write the check in your married name but you haven't changed your name yet it can be an issue. I'm sure they did it just for ease to ensure you won't have any trouble cashing the check!

Yeah I’m sure it was just to make it easier to deposit!

I'm assuming they sent them to just you because they assume your name would be changing. Avoids the fuss of cashing a check in a name that isn't yours, I wouldn't take it personally.

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Agreed. We got checks to just H, to just me, and to both of us. The annoying ones were where it was to me with H's last name because I'm not taking his last name so I had to sign the back with my name and a name that will never be mine, but what are you going to do? Honestly if it's from his friends/family they're probably just used to making it out to him for presents and didn't even really think about it.

View Quoted Comment I’ve had to do that with one already, sign it over from my real name to my name + his name. Took forever for it to clear, too! You’re probably right though, it’s been his family so they’re probably just used to it.

View Quoted Comment That makes sense - we do have a joint account but there’s no way they’d know that! Its odd though because two of the three people that have done it are couples where the women have kept their names.

Pretty simple reason, and definitely no offense meant. They want to make sure the check is cashable, and his name is likely the given, whole yours may change. From experience, it’s also much easier to cash a check with one name on it instead of 2 (2 names with an “and” require 2 signatures, if not needing to appear together at the bank!). Personally, I make sure to only put one name on the check— I usually address it to the person we’re closest to, but I absolutely mean no offense to the other party. I just don’t want to bog anyone down with the hassle of a 2 party check (especially if there’s no joint bank account yet!). Occasionally I’ll even just do a first name so they can sort it out for themselves.

We probably only got 2-3 checks that I could actually cash myself (made out just to me, maiden name) . I got a couple to just me with the MARRIED name which I paused on cashing since it was a while before I was mrs newlastname with the bank! Others were to some combo of names (his only, his and my first together with his last, “the newlastnames”, and an occasional his name and my name [maiden]), mostly easier for him to cash— lots of checks that I really couldn’t do squat with! I came to appreciate the one name checks as they were the absolute easiest to sort ! So people ARE well intentioned, and trying to be helpful, not trying to slight.

I would honestly prefer if someone had just put my maiden name or my husband's name. It was such a pain to cash checks in both our names because we couldn't do it from our bank app and had to go in, then if someone put "Mr. & Mrs. X" my name wasn't legally changed immediately so that was another pain.

I always only address the check to one person so it's easier to cash. That's all.

The only check we received was made out to me. Everyone was aware our names couldn't be changed right away and not everyone knows we share a bank account. I think they just figured it would be easier for you both this way.

To make it easier to cash. Not a big deal.

View Quoted Comment Ha! With those individuals, I’d take that to mean they must have had to deal with a bit of experience with the hassle of getting checks addressed to the wrong name and aimed to simplify the process for you!

Probably because they don’t know if you’re changing your name or not, so since they’re assuming his won’t be, it’s easier to just write it to him

View Quoted Comment That makes a lot of sense! And the other is the mom of one of the women who kept her name, so she probably saw what a pain it was.

View Quoted Comment Makes sense, though I look forward to the day when it’s just as likely men will change their name 😬

View Quoted Comment Haha I know I personally learned a lot from our check receiving and am much more careful about how to address them when I go to weddings now! (my faves were— my new last name is IMPOSSIBLE to spell [many silent letters], and we got a few addressed to “the___s!” with the spelling BADLY butchered, like... what the heck are we gonna do with this?!) pro tip— we actually had a lot of luck doing mobile deposits with a lot of the more ...challenging checks

It is SO MUCH EASIER to have it with just one name! You should thank them for giving you less of a headache lol. We had every variety of names and the ones with just one of our names was easiest. I haven't changed my name yet so I appreciate the ones with just my husband's since it is definitely not changing.

Its probably easier to do it this way because he wont have a name change I am assuming. I remember when I was a guest for a wedding for the first time and I was so confused on who to address it to. Its easier that it is sent to just one person and then your FH can then split it with you or put it in a joint account if you have one.