[FL] [FL] How do I change wife’s maiden name on an old quit claim deed to reflect her married name?

Hello! My name is TJ and I’m an attorney. Thanks so much for the opportunity to assist you! I’ve gone over the details you shared and I’ll post my initial response shortly. I’ll also post a few quick questions. They’ll help me better understand your situation so I can give you a more complete and tailored answer.

You cannot backdate a quit claim deed to a date prior to its actual execution. The date a deed is signed and delivered is the legally recognized date of the transfer. While the intent was for the transfer to align with your marriage, legal documents cannot be retroactively dated to reflect past events. The change in your residency to Virginia after 2024 is also a pertinent factor.

Was the property in question your primary residence in Florida before you relocated?

Do you intend for the quit claim deed to create a specific form of co-ownership, such as tenancy by the entirety, or something else?

What was the exact date the property was purchased?

Since your wife is already on the deed under her maiden name, and you were listed as single, the quit claim deed to update her name to your married name is a fairly straightforward process and won't change the ownership interests. The fact that the property and marriage were recorded in Broward County simplifies verification for the attorney preparing the document.

The easiest way to show you're married on the deed is by executing a new deed that correctly identifies her by her married name and also references the previous deed.

Are there any other individuals or entities currently on the deed, besides you and your wife?

Given that you and your wife are the only two individuals on the deed, and the purpose of the quit claim deed is solely to update her name to her married name, this is quite manageable. Since she is already an owner, the deed primarily serves to clarify her identity on the public record rather than to transfer an ownership interest.

When a person changes their name after being named on a deed, it doesn't automatically change the deed itself. A new document is typically needed to reflect the name change in the property records. A quit claim deed is a common tool for this purpose, since it transfers any interest the grantor has without making warranties about the title.

In this situation, your wife would typically be the grantor, conveying her interest from her maiden name to her married name. You would also be involved as a grantor to confirm the transfer.

While you cannot backdate the deed to your marriage date, the new deed can reference the original deed (book and page number) to maintain a clear chain of title.

To proceed, you would prepare a new quit claim deed, have it signed by both of you in front of two witnesses and a notary, and record it in Broward County.