Credit Reports... Marriage

[Easto]

My wife of 2 1/2 years had a few hiccups on her credit report before we got married. I have since taken care of them but there are a few remnants still hanging onto her account (this is no big thing and they are being cleared up). My question is... a couple of these show up under her previous name and did not make it to her new married name report. As stated, we've been married 2 1/2 years, is it our responsibility to notify the agencies of her name change or should this have been done internally by them during any creadit background check? Regardless, I am paying them off, I just worry about something that may have not made it to her report under her old name and then it shows up and never makes it to her new name report.

Should I just be doing checks regularly under both names?

[Dan]

when we got married 5 years ago,and after the name change,my wife's reports were still the same ones even with her name change.I would assume any new information sent to the 3 agencies would be with your wife's new last name.I don't think you should have to do anything as far as notifying the 3 agencies as to name change.unless there is wrong information that could hurt her scores.I monitor my scores and reports monthly through my amex account ,and I check my wife's every couple months.I am so very a n a l about our credit & scores & reports.it's very important to me,I have worked hard for years to be where I am with my scores/reports.I also check and monitor every single one of my checking/savings/CC daily for correct balances,I use quicken for my personal finances.

"Q. I just married and changed my name, what name should I use to order my report?
A. Use your current name unless your credit is still in your unmarried name. Normally credit bureaus will link your names together and report your credit under either your married or unmarried name. However, if all your credit is in your unmarried name, the credit bureaus may not know of your marriage and new name. To some degree credit bureaus depend on the creditors who report credit information to them, to update your new name and address. That only happens as you get credit in your new name or contact your old creditors about your name change. "
....

.
.
."If the wife chooses to change her name, the new name will be reflected on her credit report. The theory that a wife changing her name erases her past credit history is not true. Since her credit report information is directly tied to her social security number, her credit report will continue to contain history under her maiden name and her married name. Sometimes credit bureaus erroneously create a split credit file following a name change, but this isn't typical and it's not supposed to happen. If this happens to you, you can contact the credit bureaus to have your credit files re-merged."

[Ken]

Usually they will list 'alias', 'AKA' (Also Known As), and such, on the reports...eventually... As far as do you need to, have an obligation to-legal or otherwise, not really as there is no 'requirement' to check your credit score...
Granted it is in ones best interest to keep an eye on one's credit though.

If it would help her score, then I would definitely let them know, however I get the feeling that it wouldn't... Pay off her obligations and don't look back, as sooner or later all 3 of the big boys will have her names associated to her married name...

[Easto]

as sooner or later all 3 of the big boys will have her names associated to her married name...

2 1/2 years later they still haven't put 2 and 2 together. It might be that she hasn't applied for any credit in her new name.