Should i go ahead and use his last name?

There has been a change in the laws about common-law marriage in Texas. You might want to contact whatever clerk (district or county clerk) that handles marriages and see what the rules are. Since you are living together and are proposing to present yourself as married, you might want to look into this. I will say that while you don't think it could happen, at this point you'd almost need a divorce because of the way you are living together.

I think you have to actually be married to legally use his last name. My husband wanted me to start signing his last name once we were engaged, but I asked a few people's opinions and everyone said that you have to stick to your own name until it's legally changed.

After married you can change your last name legally its a pain. Just dont forget your social security card I forgot that one and it delayed my tax return.

It is free world. You and fiance can go ahead and do anything you want.But marrying would be a better idea.

Depends on how you feel about the last name thing hun. You do need to change it legally and they will not change it until you are married. They need that proof. Ainge

You need to actually get your Social Security card changed in order to be legal. Then you can take that and get your license changed. You can also buy a kit for like $25 that makes it real simple to get everything changed. We got married last July and I still havent done it all. I would wait if I were you but it isnt a big deal. Especially if its just like to order a magazine or something like that. When are you getting married? Congratulations.

i think i will wait until i get legally married if i were in your position... anyway, what's the hurry??? it is only a surname... and it is not very hard to change it... i had been married for more than 2 years now and i haven't change my surname yet... i don't think it is really that important... so i leave it as it is...

I've been married 8 years and haven't used my husband's last name. I still retain my maiden name (I might get some brickbats for this one)....but my husband and I didn't want to go through the hassles of changing the name. We've got to get some paperwork done and lots of other things which we didn't have the time or inclination to do. We have our first names on our wedding bands....and both of us have got our names entered in each other's passports. And we have a marriage certificate too. But some people I know....don't change their name officially but just start using it where there's no paperwork involved. But this lady got into trouble once because....her ticket was booked with her husband's surname (the office staff didn't know she hadn't officially changed her name)....and her passport had her maiden name....she was stopped at an airport at Germany (funny, one airport already let her through)...and she wasn't allowed to go even though she had a copy of her marriage certificate just because the name on the ticket and passport didn't match. So, if you decide to change your name (whenever)...please do it properly and legally than just start using it. You might forget and use it where it isn't accepted.

you use his last name if you are legally together as husband and wife and not while engaged and besides you will be having problems when signing papers. you use his nake and use it to sign something then that is misrepresentation.

Well I know that here in the UK sweetheart you can use whatever name you like without legally changing it as long as it is not for fraudulent purposes! lol I see no reason that you shouldn't use your partners last name as long as that is what you guys want! xxx

I don't know. I wouldn't do it. You said your fiance doesn't want to do it at all because it is "just a piece of paper." I think wearing the rings and changing your name to his comforts him because it is not legal. He can pretend that you are married and not have the legal ramifications. I am only saying this because I have been here before. I found the law for Texas and it isn't as cut and dry as just living together for an X amount of time. http://www.ncsl.org/programs/cyf/commonlaw.htm Texas calls it an "informal marriage," rather than a common-law marriage. Under § 2.401 of the Texas Family Code, an informal marriage can be established either by declaration (registering at the county courthouse without having a ceremony), or by meeting a 3-prong test showing evidence of (1) an agreement to be married; (2) cohabitation in Texas; and (3) representation to others that the parties are married. A 1995 update adds an evidentiary presumption that there was no marriage if no suit for proof of marriage is filed within two years of the date the parties separated and ceased living together.

Hi libertarianfreedom21, In my opinion you should wait upto your weddingday to use his last name.Don't ask me the reasons, because there is no reason to wait until wedding but it is customary to add his last name only after wedding.For name change you need not go anywhere because, your marriage certificate is enough as a official document. Good Luck.

Unfortunately, I don't know too much about Texas, but I do know that in Arizona, once you have been living together for 7 years, it's a common law marriage. So, if Texas has common law marriages, I would check into that. I know that when I got married that I had to bring the wedding certificate to get my name changed on my social security card and drivers license. I believe that if you want to change your name without the actual wedding then you have to do some sort of legal paperwork that is going to cost you some additional money. I would just wait since it sounds that you don't have any extra money floating around. Personally, I'm just too independent. I really didn't want to change my name. A friend of the family researched my madien name and it turns out that it went from India to the Philipines to the States (my grandfather). It actually comes from Sanskirt. After all that time, I didn't want to get rid of it, especially since it's just me and my sister. So I hypenated. But that wasn't until I was 9 months pregnant with my son and it was to appease my mother-in-law.

I would personally wait until you got officially married to use it. I'm personally waiting on my boyfriend to give me my engagement ring. He already got it, and it's been sittin on our dresser for over 2 months now, but he doesn't want to give it to me until he can take me out somewhere nice and make it really special for me. I don't mind it being special, it's just going to be special enough that he wants to marry me! Oh well, I'll let him do it his way, since he is the one proposing and all. I won't be using his last name until I get married, although, sometimes he slips and tells his friends and co-workers that I'm his wife. I have to clarify, that if he doesn't actually propose, and we don't walk down the aisle, I will forever be his girlfriend, lol.

Why would you want to go though all of that legal manure to change your name unmarried , then have it fall apart if you are not married to have it changed back.. there is more cost in having it reverenced then changing it now? You are not married untill you are married.

You need to get your name legaly changed and I think when I got mine done they needed a copy of the wedding certificate. They had a list of papers that woudl let me chinge my name, like devorce papers and so on. It wasnt that hard though. Why not wait until you actualy get married to use his name?

I wouldn't start using his name or wearing the ring until you actually are legally married. When you do get married then you have to notify the social security. You also have to change with the bank and drivers licence and all your bills....everything.

use your own name because you still have no documents to support that you already have the right to use his surname

abt the other things i dont knw much but u shud wait till the wedding before u start using his last name.....

dont really matter, but changing you have to go through the trouble of getting the changed.. your choice tho