Getting married is one of the biggest events of anyone’s life and marks the beginning of a new chapter. However, marriage is not just about having a fairy-tale wedding and exchanging your vows. There is a lot of marriage paperwork which the bride and groom need to go through before they can be considered to be a legally married couple.

Moreover, there are so many other documents that will have to be redrawn or updated to reflect your changed marital status. All this marriage paperwork can be really confusing and can also take up your precious time if you are not prepared for it in advance.

Got Marriage Paperwork?

Marriage paperwork may seem like a very big hurdle to cross when you don’t have an idea about what all you will be required to do. However, the process will seem much simpler when you have at least a general idea of what kind of marriage paperwork you will be required to do, what forms you will have to fill out, and where you will have to file the paperwork. To help you out, we have put together a detailed guide which will answer all your questions related to marriage paperwork.

All the Marriage Paperwork You Need to Finish BEFORE the Wedding

Every couple has a list of things that they have to take care of before the wedding, and marriage paperwork is one of those things. Just include it in your list of ‘to-dos’  so that you don’t accidentally miss out on this very important part of a marriage. Below is a list of the kind of marriage paperwork that you will need to fill out before your marriage:

The Marriage License

In order to be legally married, you need to apply for a marriage certificate which will act as a proof of marriage for all legal purposes. The marriage certificate is issued after the bride and groom sign a marriage license which is actually an application for issuance of the marriage certificate.

The marriage license has to be signed by the bride and groom as well as the person who officiates the wedding and two witnesses who attended the wedding. You should also check the rules regarding marriage licenses of your country as they do tend to have a certain time limit before they expire.

Prenuptial Agreement (if you choose to do this)

A lot of couples prefer to sign a prenuptial agreement which protects their financial assets in case of divorce later on. You can get a prenuptial agreement drafted by a lawyer or you can draft one yourself and have it checked by a lawyer.

This agreement should, in essence, list the financial assets as well as existing debts of both the bride and groom and should have clear conditions as to what will happen to those assets and debts in case of a divorce. A pre-nup is also required to be signed by a notary to have legal sanctity.

All the Marriage Paperwork You Need to Finish AFTER the Wedding

Getting married requires you to change your marital status in a lot of legal documents including your social security card, passport, and the likes. However, all this can be done only when you have a marriage certificate, which is the only acceptable legal proof of marriage.

To ensure that you get the marriage certificate in time, you must apply for a marriage license well in advance so that you can get started on completing the rest of the marriage paperwork immediately after you are done with your honeymoon.

The following are the documents which you will have to get modified once you get married:

A New Social Security Card

To get a new Social Security Card, you need a certified copy of your marriage certificate along with a proof of citizenship (such as a birth certificate). After this, you will need to take a print out of the application form for a new Social Security Card from the Social Security Administration website and fill out all the mandatory fields.

The form has to be then submitted in physical form to the Social Security Administration office. This means that you can either send the form by post or personally take it there but you cannot e-mail it.

A New Driver’s License

Having your new Social Security Card with your updated name and marital status will make it much easier for you to get a new driver’s license as well. All you will have to do is take a few identification documents such as your birth certificate, marriage license, social security card and of course your current driver’s license to your local DMV and file for a new driver’s license.

DMVs of different states have slightly varying rules regarding issue of new driver’s license. Therefore, it would be better to check out the rules for your state on the website before making a trip to the DMV office.

Your Passport

You can get a new passport with your new name by simply filling out an application form and mailing it to your passport office with the requisite documents such as marriage certificate, a passport size colored photograph, ID proof, and your current passport. However, the kind of application form you fill out depends on whether you are applying for a new passport within a one year of the current passport or not. Make sure to check out the government’s instructions on this topic.

Bank Accounts

Changing your name in your bank account is a much simpler task. However, the procedure for the same varies from one bank to the next. While some banks would simply require you to e-mail them an application for the name change with a copy of the marriage certificate and ID proof, others may require you to visit their branch to complete the formalities.

The Post Office

If you are moving out of your current place of residence, you will need to get your postal address changed with the post office. This can be done by simply filling out the Change of Address form on the USPS website. The entire process is completed online so that you don’t have to face the hassle of physical forms or in-person visits.

Utilities

You can update your change of address with the billing offices of different utilities such as the telephone company, your cable TV company, and the likes by mailing them your new address along with an application requesting them to update the same in their records. If these companies have a specific procedure required to be followed for change of address that should be followed for this purpose.

Your Lease (if you’re renting)

Make sure that you make the necessary changes in your name on the lease agreement once you have got your new Social Security card. If you are planning to shift to your spouse’s place, you should make arrangements to terminate the lease agreement well in time so that you can avoid the penalty clause if any.

Your Credit Card Company

Your postal address needs to be updated with your credit card company too so that they can send you the bills at the right address. This can, again, be done by a simple request application for change of address or name or an in-person visit to their office.

Your Employer

You would obviously inform your office colleagues and bosses of your marriage. However, you would also have to formally submit your marriage certificate in the office so that your new name can be added to their records and your address can be updated too if you are moving to a new place.

Your Will

Now that you have a spouse, you will probably want to add him or her as a beneficiary to your will so that in case something untoward happens to you, your better half can inherit some of your assets. The changes in the Will should be done under a lawyer’s guidance so that there is no scope for legal discrepancies.

Companies You Have Loans With

Change in marital status and address have to be updated with the companies from whom you have taken a loan. You will have to find out if these companies have any laid down procedure for the same. If not, you can simply e-mail them a request for changing your name or address in their records.

Medical Providers

You can get your new name and address updated with your medical providers so that they do not turn up at the wrong address or for the wrong person. Medical providers generally have a system of updating names and addresses which you can find out through a simple phone call.

Insurance Companies (car insurance, health insurance, home insurance, etc.)

Your Social Security Card which reflects your new name, address and marital status will be required to update your details with the various insurance companies. This is one of the most important marriage paperwork that you must get done as soon as possible so that you do not end up being denied your rightful insurance claim due to a technical fault.

 

Conclusion

Marriage paperwork does tend to take a backseat amidst all the excitement of organizing a wedding. Shopping for wedding gowns and flowers and centerpieces can definitely be much more engaging as compared to studying some boring legal paperwork.

However, if you avoid this marriage paperwork before the wedding, it can actually turn out to be much more difficult to manage later on. Take our advice and fill out at least your marriage license beforehand so that the rest of the paperwork becomes easy.