Changing your name after marriage? How updating Social Security protects your taxes and benefits

Getting married is a major life-changing moment and not just because you’ll be sharing a new adventure with the person you love. Tying the knot changes your filing status with the Internal Revenue Service and if you receive certain benefits from the Social Security Administration you’ll need to inform them as well.

This is especially true if you change your name after you get married. This can affect not just your benefits but also when you file your annual tax return. Here’s a look.

Don’t forget to update your info with the SSA after marriage

Marriage typically won’t affect Social Security disability or retirement benefits, but your new status may affect Survivors, Divorced Spouses, and Child’s benefits. It can also affect Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits due to household income and resource rules.

The SSA says that you should communicate any changes to your situation by the 10^th day of the month after it happened. “If you’re not sure if the change is something that’s important for our records, let us know anyway,” explains the agency.

This helps avoid overpayments which when they happen must be paid back.

In the case of a name change, the SSA recommends waiting until your state updates its records, typically that takes roughly 30 days. The agency recommends that you update your records with the SSA before you do so with your local motor vehicle administration.

Once your state has processed your name change you can apply for a new Social Security card online or in person to legally change your name. You will need to present certain documents to the SSA like official valid ID, marriage certificate and citizenship or lawful noncitizen status.

Name change and taxes

The IRS recommends that you make sure that you “check that both your name and SSN agree with your Social Security card to prevent any delays in processing your return and issuing any refunds.”

If the name on your Form W-2 and/or Form 1099 is different than your new name, the IRS says that you have to speak to your employer to have them correct the forms so that they reflect the new name as it appears on your Social Security card. This will ensure that your earnings are credited to your Social Security record and also “that certain deductions and credits on your tax return are not reduced or disallowed.”

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