While the actual wedding may be blissfully a thing of the past, the work still isn't over. In some ways, taking care of the legal details of a marriage name change is harder than planning the wedding itself. Not only are there a lot of steps involved, but it isn't nearly as fun as the event was. Nevertheless, it is required to begin using the newly established identity.

Notifying credit card companies of a marriage name change is important. When using a credit card for a purchase, many merchant require photographic identification. Having one name on a driver's license and a different one on the credit card may be inviting trouble. Often, it is impossible to use these when purchasing in person. The same holds true for passports and other financial documents.

Another reason revolves around the need to apply for credit under the new surname. Even though individual social security numbers are used to track a credit report, some lenders will object if the entire history is in the maiden name. The goal is to have these companies report personal information to the credit bureaus under the married surname. This ensures cohesiveness.

For security reasons, many credit card companies will not complete an identity change without formal documentation. A copy of the marriage license should accompany a letter of request. The letter should state the previous name, along with the new one. The appeal should specifically state the reason for contacting them, and that evidence of the documentation is included.

All of the major credit bureaus should also be sent the same formal request in writing. Copies should be retained for future reference. This should be completed well in advance of applying for any type of loan. It may take several weeks for the changes to take effect. Follow up on the process by requesting a record check. This will ensure that the good record established before the union will follow along with the new surname.

This part of the process of marriage name change also helps safeguard against identity theft. Statistics released from the Federal Trade Commission reports that there were around 246,000 complaints of identity theft filed in 2010. Other estimates suggest that the number could be much greater. Affecting almost 44 million US citizens, the problem of identity theft continues to grow. Formal requests add a layer of protection in that there is documented evidence that the pre-marriage identity is no longer in use.