GasMenagerie wrote:
I "took" my husband's last name when we married... got it changed on my DL and used it for everything except taxes ... never changed it with SS. Then after 911 they wouldn't renew my DL so I had to go to SS and change it. It was a hassle... just because going into a SS office makes me go insane.

I would really consider keeping it for the kids because of what Eva says. My aunt kept her name and her son kept her ex's name and her new husband has his name... and it was just kind of silly IMO. Unless you are a movie star or politician... why not have a family united by the same last name.

And when my DH was coaching and we got the list of kids on the team and the kid had a different last name than the parent(s) we always knew there were going to be issues. (mostly with "it's my husband's weekend and his GF refuses to drive my son to practice")

Just my opinion. 

ETA:  If we had no kids I would keep it only because it's easier to spell!!

Well in my parents' case, while neither is a politician or movie star, they both have the title of "Doctor" tacked on. So it eliminates the problem of having two "Dr. Last names."

I can't say I ever felt our family was less united because we didn't all have the same name.