Getting married is the best thing in the life of so many people. You are about to connect with someone forever, have a family, and spend the rest of your life together. While this may seem like a daunting task to some, it is the way human civilization has been functioning since the dawn of time, and it still stays relevant.
We can all agree that the whole process is quite a stressful one since numerous aspects require your attention. One of these aspects is managing all the paperwork to make this occurrence come to fruition. Of course, you would need some legal help to manage these documents. If you need this sort of help, be sure to visit Pearsons Lawyers.
Numerous documents need to be either obtained or redrawn for this purpose. They will have a major impact on your marital status. Today, we want to shine a light on several legal tips on how to conduct the management of these documents properly. Without further ado, let’s begin.
1. Getting a Marriage License
The first document we want to talk about is known as a marriage license. Before you can legally be married, you need to apply for this one. We are talking about a document that is issued after the couple signs a proof of marriage. Basically, we are talking about the procedure that will help you obtain a marriage certificate at the end of the process.
Besides the couple, another party that needs to sign this document is an officiant and other two witnesses. Naturally, it needs to be said that the conditions under which you can get these documents are different in different countries. Of course, you should understand these conditions before you do it.
Another significant aspect that requires your attention is to make sure this document doesn’t expire. In most cases, the officiant will provide you with a deadline. If you do not use it within this timeframe, you will need to get another one. For all these reasons, we would say that a marriage license is the most important document.
2. Changing Your Last Name
One of the aspects you will find in a marriage license is the question of whether you want to change your last name or not. Of course, you will need to think about this possibility before you enter the clerk’s office. We can all agree that discussing the possibility is not the best thing to do while you are in the office.
Naturally, this is not only an option for a female. Males can also decide whether they will choose their partner’s last name or not. When you make the ultimate decision, you will include it in the document, and after the procedure is finished, you will either have a new last name or you will preserve your own.
3. Death or Divorce Certificate
If you have been married before, you will need to bring either a death or divorce certificate. As you probably know, it is not possible to be legally married twice at the same time. If you do not have these documents, then you need to obtain them as soon as possible.
The reason why we are saying this is an important aspect is quite simple, many people tend to forget to bring this one when needed. That’s why it is essential to have one of these in mind. Naturally, which one of these will be needed depends on the occurrences surrounding your previous divorce or divorces.
4. Minors
Even though it is not a common occurrence, especially in this day and age, an individual may want to get married while not being a legal adult. What does it mean? It means that the person is younger than 18. As you can presume, this process is somewhat more complicated in this case.
When that happens, that individual will need to bring a document that is signed by either one or both of their parents. It is a document that approves they approve of their child’s decision to get married. The procedure for obtaining this document differs from state to state. In some cases, it requires a court order.
5. Prenuptial Agreement
Last but not least, we want to address something that has become quite an important document in the last couple of decades. We are talking about signing a prenuptial agreement with your partner. What does this mean? Well, it is a document that ensures the protection of both parties’ assets in case of divorce.
What is interesting about this one is that you don’t need legal help to create it. You and your partner can make it yourself, and then go to a lawyer. The legal professional will check the whole text, and come up with some recommendations on how it should be changed or adapted to the circumstances.
Many people make the mistake of believing that the potential list includes only assets. But this is not the case. Instead, it also includes things like existing debts. In case of a divorce, individuals will not be responsible for repaying the ones owned by their ex-partners. In the end, we want to say that signing one of these is not mandatory.
6. Potential Fees
In some states or countries, the couple is not required to pay any sort of fee for the documents they will obtain before or after the procedure. It all depends on the local regulation. Naturally, these costs will address both individuals. There are some cases when the occurrences determine the costs.
On the other hand, the local legislative institution determines whether there are some additional costs you need to comply with. Sure, this is not something that will happen in all cases, but it is important to have this in mind.
In Conclusion
Understanding the marriage legal paperwork and how to manage it is of the utmost importance. In this article of ours, we’ve discussed all the relevant points you need to understand about this process. We are sure you will find this insight to be of much help in the future.