Ms: You should use ‘Ms’ when unsure of a woman’s marital status or if she is unmarried and prefers to be addressed with a marital-status neutral title. Mrs: You should use Mrs when addressing a married woman.

Historically, “Miss” has been the formal title for an unmarried woman. “Mrs.,” on the other hand, refers to a married woman. “Ms.” is a little trickier: It’s used by and for both unmarried and married women.

Miss: Use “Miss” when addressing young girls and women under 30 that are unmarried. Ms.: Use “Ms.” when you are not sure of a woman’s marital status, if the woman is unmarried and over 30 or if she prefers being addressed with a marital-status neutral title. Mrs.: Use “Mrs.” when addressing a married woman.

After a divorce, you cannot legally force your ex-wife to change back to her maiden name. She has the right to keep your last name. Additionally, discussing what name she will continue to use after your marriage is over during the divorce proceedings can be mutually beneficial.

Keep reading for details about what you should expect to cover in your divorce settlement negotiations, which will likely include: Division of assets (real estate, investments, other property) Division of custody and time sharing of kids. Child support/ alimony.

Traditionally, when couples get married, one person (usually the wife) will change their surname to the same as the other (usually the husband’s). It is then usually the case that any children born following the marriage will also have the same surname.

By Stephanie Kurose, J.D. Changing a child’s last name to your married name can be a simple process, as long as the child’s other parent agrees to the name change. If there is disagreement between you and the child’s other parent, a court may have to get involved. And, ultimately, the decision may rest with the judge.