From Miss to Mrs. How to legally take your husband's last name

Saying "I do" may make you Mrs. John Smith to your friends and family, but a marriage does not officially change your name. Taking your hubby's name is a relatively easy -- if you want to -- as long as you get all the paperwork in order and take care of it sooner rather than later.

To begin, make sure you have certified copies (not photocopies) of your marriage license. (You can get them at the county recorder of deeds' office for $9 each.) With documentation in hand, begin with the Social Security Administration. You'll need to complete an application for a new card, which can be downloaded at www.ssa.gov. Along with the application, you'll need to show documents providing legal name change (marriage certificate), identity and U.S. citizenship. You can mail the documentation or visit the local office at 2445 Cape Centre Drive in Cape Girardeau. Your new Social Security card will have the same number as your previous one, but will show your new name.

Next step: Change your driver's license. This has to be done in person at a local license bureau. Arm yourself with a certified copy of your marriage license (notice a trend?) and updated Social Security card bearing your new name. While you're there, go ahead and change the name on your vehicle's title. And don't forget your checkbook.

Armed with a new Social Security card and driver's license, the rest of the changes are pretty easy. Notify your employer of the name change so paychecks, withholdings and W-2 forms have the correct name.

You'll also need to update your passport, but not immediately. If you booked your honeymoon with your maiden name, your passport must match the names on your travel documents. Information on updating your passport can be found at travel.state.gov/passport/.

Make sure to inform the people you do business with: creditors, banks, insurance companies, landlord or mortgage company, doctors' offices, utility companies, etc.

Once you've taken care of the big ones, just fill in the holes as you come to them. The world isn't going to end if your magazine subscriptions still come to your old self, for example.

Sources: Social Security Administration, Cape Girardeau County Recorder of Deeds, Bankrate.com, dor.mo.gov

PULLOUT

Who to inform of name change:

* Creditors

* Landlord or mortgage company

* Other insurance accounts (auto, life, home, etc.)

* Physicians' offices

* Professional licensing boards

* Investment accounts

* Your attorney (to update legal documents)

* Utilities

* Post office

* Voter registration board

* Alumni association