HiHello there! I’m Kati, and I recently tied the knot with my husband and love of my life, Joe, in Upstate NY near the Finger Lakes. It was a beautiful weekend celebrating our love and happiness for a lifetime to come.
One of the most exciting parts about getting married is finally identifying as one (legal) unit, which includes changing my last name to match his. Although changing my name with the government was quite a strenuous task, I did learn about a few tools that make it much easier! Whether you are changing your name because you recently got married like me or for another reason, here is what you can learn from my process.
Tools to help change your name
1. Name change kits
There are a ton of great online services that can help you navigate the name change maze. I opted to use MissNowMrs since they have personalized name change support and expedited document delivery, which ended up saving me hours of administrative work and mental anguish. Even if you’re changing your name for another reason, the kit contains everything you need for a name change for any reason.
They’ll help you figure out where you need to update your name, usually creating a checklist, and then provide the steps and forms needed to make it happen. It’s like having a personal assistant without the hefty price tag! I can’t recommend The Complete Name Change Packet enough. This service is fairly priced and has a money-back guarantee. I figured this type of service would be expensive, but in reality, the most expensive part was paying to update my name with the government.
You mean I have to PAY to update my new identity?? Oh, yes!! Updating my name with the federal and local government has cost me almost $400 so far. I have updated my social security card, passport, ID, and student loans!
2. Digital business cards
Changing my last name with the government was almost as difficult as updating my last name on a physical business card. Both can be expensive, time consuming, and wasteful. You mean I have to toss out all my old paper business cards due to the name change??
Thankfully, I switched to HiHello’s digital business card earlier this year and don’t have to worry about updating paper cards. After I received my marriage record, I logged into my HiHello account, navigated to the settings page, and quickly adjusted my last name. My HiHello digital business card immediately reflected the name change. I made this update in less than 30 seconds, and it cost me NOTHING. I also didn’t have to throw anything away or worry about waste.
Lucky for me, my HiHello email signature also updated immediately to reflect the new name change. Even cooler? My new name was also adjusted in email signatures that were sent prior to me updating my card. This will help eliminate confusion for all of my email recipients. Updating my HiHello account to reflect my new name was the easiest and cheapest part of this entire name changing process!
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Congrats on the name change!
Changing your name is such an exciting step. While it can feel like a lot of work, embracing modern tools and resources like MissNowMrs and HiHello can make the process a total breeze.
So, here’s to new beginnings with a brand-new name! Whether you’re changing your name for love, personal reasons, or just because you want to, remember to enjoy the journey and celebrate every moment. Cheers to your new identity! 🥂✨
From the new Kati Vilsack
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