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How-To: Change Your Name After Marriage

SavvySugar — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 06:30:15 -0700

You've thought long and hard about whether taking your new husband's name is the right thing for you. Once the decision has been made in favor of a new last name, it's time to take the necessary steps to make the swap. Follow my tips to make sure you don't miss any of the important pieces to changing your name - you'll avoid annoying complications later on.

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New Bride's Guide to Changing Her Name

SavvySugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:31:01 -0700

Updating your email address to reflect your new married name is the easiest step of all, but unfortunately the laundry list of other changes is much more time consuming. Some women end up dragging out the process because it can be a bit tedious - the DMV and Social Security don't exactly elicit excitement, after all.

If you've decided that changing your name is the right move for you, commit to the process by following my New Bride's Guide to Changing Her Name. Simply print out the checklist to learn what steps you may need to take. You'll find that some areas require more attention and paperwork than others, but keep in mind you only need to (hopefully) do this once! Make copies of all of the documents for your records, just in case.

Is Your Car's Brand a Part of Your Identity?

SavvySugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:00:48 -0700

Thanks to the recession, consumers are questioning their brand loyalty for just about everything. People who once faithfully bought one brand of paper towels or detergent are switching to lower-cost, generic versions to save money. These brand name concessions seem small, but what if the downturn coincided with your time to buy a new car - could you be faithful to your brand of choice?

Sure, when it comes down to it, a car is just a car - it gets you from point A to point B, and so, serves its purpose. Still, others would argue that, today, cars aren't just the things we drive - they become extensions and statements of who we are and what we believe. To a certain extent, some might view their car's brand with the same staunch loyalty with which they view their political party affiliation.

Still, over the course of the past year, this is all changing. Only about 20 percent of car shoppers stayed with the same brand when they purchased a new vehicle, whereas in the past, nearly four out of five American car shoppers were faithful to their car brand as repeat customers for years - or even across generations. So, tell me, how much does your car's brand matter to you?

Ask Savvy: Should I Travel Under My Maiden or Married Name?

SavvySugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:30:05 -0700

Dear Savvy,

I'm getting married on Sept. 26 and my fiancé and I are ready to start booking flights for our honeymoon to Thailand. In fact, we almost bought tickets last night when I thought about which last name I should use! I'm planning on taking my fiancé’s last name after we're married, but I'm not sure what name to use when making my honeymoon plans. Will I encounter any trouble if I book my tickets with my new last name?

Savvy says: It's a good thing you thought twice before buying your plane ticket! To see why, read more.

The name on your tickets and reservations should match the name in your passport. It can take several weeks to receive copies of your marriage license, and then a couple more months to change your name on all of the necessary documents. So, if the name in your passport at the time of travel will be your maiden name, you should book the trip under your maiden name.

Waiting a few months to take your honeymoon? Most airlines will let you travel domestically with your driver's license in a maiden name along with a marriage license, but double check with the airline before you book under your married name that doesn't match your driver's license. Traveling internationally will naturally warrant additional scrutiny from security. Simply play it safe by traveling under your maiden name until your documents reflect your new married name.

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What You Can Learn From the Talented Susan Boyle

SavvySugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 04:30:03 -0700

If you aren't familiar with the name Susan Boyle, she's the woman who shocked the pants off the Britain's Got Talent judges and the show's tough crowd with her beautiful voice. Everyone judged Susan when she came onto the stage looking a little spacey and wearing something that didn't exactly scream superstar, but the crowd was in awe as soon as she opened her mouth.

Susan got three yeses from the judges, including the "biggest yes ever" from Piers Morgan, and immediately following her fall into grace the presses were buzzing about whether or not 47-year old Susan would get a makeover. Larry King took it upon himself to ask Susan whether or not she would consider a total makeover and she answered, "Why should I? Why should I change? Particularly my identity."

A few days later Susan was seen wearing an outfit that made her look more put together and modern, but she's still obviously her own person. It's a good lesson for any of us striving for success: Making some compromises might be necessary, but don't concede so much that you're no longer being true to yourself.

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Eight Tips For Writing a Cover Letter

SavvySugar — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:30:31 -0700

Time-consuming cover letters might reduce the number of job applications you're able to fire out in a day, but including a letter increases your chances of landing an interview. Getting a foot in the door in this job market requires precision from job seekers, and it all starts with the introductory letter before employers even get to your resume. While cover letters can be a huge asset when they're done well, a poorly written letter can guarantee your resume doesn't get a first look. Cover your bases by following these eight tips.

Do your best to find the name of the person who will be reviewing your resume, and as a last resort address it to the hiring manager.
Steer clear of using too many sentences including "I"; instead, try to convey how your skills could help the company.
Limit yourself to a maximum four paragraphs. Use the first paragraph to introduce yourself and the position you're applying for, then mention applicable skills and specific achievements while demonstrating your knowledge of the company, further explain your suitability if your resume can't say it all (like if you're changing careers), and sign off politely letting them know you'll be in touch.

To see five more cover letter tips, read more.

Keep it truthful - don't make up achievements from your last job just to impress the hiring manager.
If sending in the mail, be sure to personally sign your letter.
Make sure contact information is provided and it's accurate.
Edit, edit, edit! Check for spelling errors, missing punctuation, and run-on sentences, and make sure more than one set of eyes reviews your letter before sending it.
Ask yourself (and others) if you've given too much information. You don't want to give the employer any reason not to call you.

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Traveling Under Maiden Name Vs. Married Name

SavvySugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:34:48 -0700

After a fabulously exhausting evening of teary vows, dancing the night away, and tight-hugged goodbyes you're off to a relaxing romantic escapade as an official Mrs.

It's not a given that you'll change your last name to match your husband's, but if you're considering it then take care when making your honeymoon and other travel reservations. Find out how to treat traveling as a newly married woman when you read more.

You may be ecstatic about changing your last name and anxious to do so, but traveling is already stressful so make it easier by booking under your maiden name. Several travel websites summed up the reasoning simply: the name on your tickets and reservations should match the name in your passport. So, if the name in your passport at the time of travel will be your maiden name you should book the trip under your maiden name.

Most airlines will let you travel domestically with your driver's license in a maiden name along with a marriage certificate, but double check with the airline before you book under your married name that doesn't match your license. Traveling internationally is always more complicated and more security scrutiny is to be expected. Don't assume a passport in your maiden name along with a marriage license will be accepted for a flight booked under your married name. Simply play it safe by traveling under your maiden name until your documents reflect your new married name.

Check out all of our wedding season coverage at IDoSugar.

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Should I Keep My Maiden Name Professionally But Take My Husband's Name Personally?

SavvySugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:03:13 -0700

Even if a woman doesn't get cold feet about getting married, she may experience them when it comes to changing her name. Toying with this decision can be tougher for some than tying the knot, and there's a lot to consider besides the fact that you're giving up the name you've always had.

Depending on where you are in your career, changing your last name can be complicated beyond all of the paperwork. Check out some last-name options when you read more.

A woman who has worked hard to establish her name may consider keeping her maiden name professionally, while taking her husband's name personally. Another option would be to include the maiden name as a middle name (unhyphenated). So, if your name is Jane Doe and your husband's last name is Smith, you would use Jane Doe Smith for your work-related matters.

I've also encountered women who sign "Jane Smith, formerly Doe," until their contacts were used to their new last name. This last option seems more complicated than the others, but the key is that every woman finds a solution she's comfortable with and makes good sense professionally and personally.

What are your thoughts regarding the last name issue?

Check out all of our wedding season coverage at IDoSugar.

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250,000 Couples Will Receive Stimulus Checks

SavvySugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:30:32 -0700

When rebate checks were distributed to Americans this Summer the IRS only cut checks to citizens whose names and social security numbers matched. The IRS recently announced they would be issuing overdue checks to 250,000 couples that qualified for the stimulus but were overlooked because of mismatched names and social security numbers.

If one person decides to change their name after marriage, the change should be reported to the Social Security Administration so their social security number matches the new legal name. Some couples fail to take this step, and this time the oversight meant they missed out on stimulus checks from the government. Going forward, make sure you're accounted for appropriately by following my checklist for changing your name.

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What Happens If My Husband Has Bad Credit, or No Credit at All?

SavvySugar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:30:35 -0700

You know it's important to maintain your own credit identity when you're married, but here's what ehadams is curious about: "What happens to credit when you get married? For example, if he has bad (or no credit) and you have excellent credit, what happens?" The answer to this is less complicated than going through the process of changing your last name! Find out what it is when you read more.

In a nutshell, nothing happens to your credit when you get married. Your credit history is yours to keep, but it's important that you continue using the cards you already have in your name so that your credit history stays active. Your names will never appear on a credit report together - reports are generated for individuals only. However, if you and your husband open any joint accounts together those will appear on both of your credit reports.

While there is no such thing as "our credit score," your husband's credit could affect you (but not your credit score) because both of your scores are considered when you apply for joint accounts or a mortgage loan. You might be faced with higher interest rates on these joint finances than if you applied for them on your own. It would be beneficial for him to work on improving his score (or building some of his own history) before applying for a mortgage together or financing another major purchase.

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