North Bergen, NJ asked in Family Law for New Jersey

Q: After you get married, what steps does the husband have to take to change his last name to wife’s last name in NJ ?

Related Topics:
2 Lawyer Answers
William N. Sosis
William N. Sosis
Answered
  • Hackettstown, NJ
  • Licensed in New Jersey

A: It's not very complicated to have your name legally changed. You can do it yourself as a self-represented litigant without a having to hire a lawyer. Just be careful and follow the instructions at: https://www.njcourts.gov/forms/10551_namechg_adult.pdf?c=ojW

Richard Diamond
Richard Diamond
Answered
  • Short Hills, NJ
  • Licensed in New Jersey

A: You can file a new change application through the court system by going to the court system website and formally filing an application for a name change (requires the filing of a complaint, publication, notice requirement, etc ) or you can go through the social security administration system for a name change as a result of marriage (most commonly used procedure by those who marry and want to change their name as a result of the marriage).

If you elect the latter option, the first thing you need to do is get a certified copy of your marriage certificate (not the same thing as your marriage license). A marriage certificate functions as a record-keeping document, proving that you have completed and registered your marriage.

Once you have your certified copy of your marriage license, go to the Social Security Administration (SSA) website to obtain a new social security card in your new name.

The SSA website has a guide to a name change to assist in the process as well for those newly married. You can also download form SS-5 which is a form used for the issuance of a social security card.

Once you have a new social security card with your new name on it, you can use that document to change all of your other government documents to reflect your new name.

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.