Who kept there last name and is now regretting it?

Renewing your vows won't allow you to change your name any easier. If you're already married, you will probably have to petition the court to change your name. Check with your lawyer.

I'm not sure I followed your post - you do not have to renew your vows to change your last name to your spouse's. You'll have to look into how to do it for your state - you may be able to just take the certified marriage certificate in (most likely this) and get it done that way or you may have to go through the court system.

But there would be no "subsequent marriage." I think it's much easier than you seem to think it is. But it is definitely a lot of paperwork.

I don't know why you would need to have a renewal of vows to change your name. You should just be able to change your name at any time as long as you have a certified copy of your marriage certificate/license. You will just need to take that to the Social Security Office and DMV to change your name with the Government. From there you can change your name with your bank account, credit cards, etc. I would call the office where you obtained your marriage license from to verify but at most like @JessieJV said, you may have to file a petition with the Court to change your name. But if your wedding date is correct above I doubt you will have to go to through the Courts to do so if you were married two months ago. It took me around 5-6 months to get everything changed and I even still have a few credit card accounts I need to send the information in to change to my married name.

Yeah, the vow renewal is completely unnecessary.

A vow renewal wouldn't change your name. You need to go through the courts. Depending on which state you're in, it could cost anywhere from a hundred dollars to several hundred and take 1-6 months.

Thank you JessieJV. I did check with my lawyer as, well as, the clerk office who we got our liscence through and both parties said we would need to apply for a subsequent marriage and remarry! This would be the cheap and easier way to do it!

You can always change your name; as far as I know it doesn't have to take place in any timeframe.

Contact Social Security. It's easier than you think.

OP, where are you located? I am wondering if perhaps you misunderstood something? I am an attorney (albeit totally not a family attorney) and I have NEVER heard of this in any state. Are you perhaps not located in the U.S.? To have a subsequent marriage, you'd have to divorce and remarry and I am positive no U.S. state requires that.

OP what state is this? Do you list on the marriage license what your name will be? I know some states where it can take two months or more after the wedding date for couples to get the certified copy of their marriage certificate from the County Clerk! That sounds odd to me.

Wtf??? Lol

Yeah sooziep123 never changed it to began with when we applied I kept my name! I wish I took his then all I would need to do is change apply for new social and new driver's liscence!

Did you not actually get married? Do you have the marriage certificate? The county clerk should have a copy. Something isn't kosher about this whole thing!

MMB it is unnecessary, however if I don't do it this way through the justice of peace I would have to go through the courts and pay a much more expensive fee!

Mandi G. I wish it were that easy. When we first applied on the marriage liscence When asked if changing my name I kept mine so, I would not be able to just take my marriage licsence to social security or dmv and change it! I wish I could just do that!

I dont believe your income has anything to do with an active child support case. I looked up laws here in Fl amd everything I looked at stated that the spouses income has nothing to do with the non custodial parents child support case unless by you two marrying it decreases hos obligation I.E. you own a house amd now he has no rent or mortgage. Or if you're rich and now he has no household bills to pay. They cannot attack your income simply because you marry and take his last name.

Having a vow renewal wont allow a name change either. A renewal is just that a renewal of love between you and your husband. You are just reaffirming. Nothing legal changes

Hi Lyla. In my state I checked with a few reliable sources and I would defiantly have to remarry him and apply for a new licsence in order to change my last name it is the less expensive way otherwise I would have to petition the courts and possibly pay a city fee!

OP, but if you're already married how can you get married again? Do they want you to legally file for divorce and remarry??

This is super confusing and I think perhaps something got lost in translation when you talked to the county clerk.

Why can't you just go change your name? Take your certified marriage license to SSA.

Alana G. I checked with sources in my state that defiantly stated that I would need to remarry him and apply for a subsequent marriage or petition the courts. I am not doing the courts thing.

To those asking why she can't just go to SSA - my state requires you to pick your new last name on the license. I *think* if you opt not to change it there, you have to go through the court system's name change process. It sounds to me like OP is planning to divorce and then remarry to change her name. I can't imagine how that is cheaper than a simple court ordered name change, but I don't know what state she is in.