Do You Have A Name Change Check List And Other Processes In Place ?

The processing of changing his or her name is a major event in one’s life. There are several processes to be followed to ensure that one’s identity is rightly created and is as per the law. This article looks at the various processes involved in getting a new name and helps you with a name change checklist too – for both before and after purposes.

Since changing the name recreates a person’s identity, due thought has to be given to both the process and the steps that follow. The following points have to be borne in mind before applying for a name change.

If you are changing your name after your marriage, by taking only the surname of your spouse, the ensuing process can be fairly simple. Since most states have pre-defined laws and rules in place, you can easily initiate the process with your certified marriage license.  But if you are changing both your name and surname, then, you have to approach the court first for your first name change, and only then initiate the surname change process. The name change petition should include your date of birth, place of birth, current name, current address, the new name you desire to use, and the reason for your name change request.

• Prior to changing your name, you require the certified or original marriage license that contains your new last name and the raised seal on the same. 

• Next, get in touch with the Social Security Administration's portal and fill up the application for an altogether new Social Security card. Here, it is important to note that the number will be the same, even though you will have a new name on your card.  

• A small visit to the office of Department of Motor Vehicles will help you get your new license that encompasses your new last name.

• The biggest challenge comes up when you need to have a joint bank account, or change your name in the existing one. For the purpose, visit your nearest branch with your marriage license and new driver's license, request new checks and apply for debit and credit cards, along with changing the name that’s attached to your accounts.

• Once you have your driver's license and social security card in your married name, filling the blanks at other places should be fairly easy. 

This is a fairly complex process as several other financial, civic, and social documents; deals and contracts; and other compliance documents have to be carefully considered before taking a decision on name change. 

- Travel: changing your name will have a lot of implications on your planned travel and related documents. For instance, if you own a ticket booked in your married name, but have already changed your name in the passport, you are bound to face a problem as in most cases the booked ticket details cannot be changed. The same goes for visa and other travel documents. Similarly, when you’ve applied for a name change in your passport, you cannot travel outside the country until this process is done.

- Mortgage: if your mortgage is in your married name, then changing it back to your old name may incur an extra administrative fee, along with a possible increase in the interest rate. This is because, in some companies, the rates are higher for divorcees than they are for married people.

- In some states, official certificates like birth certificates, marriage certificates, and educational and degree certificates, which are “matters of fact” and were correct at the time of being issued, may not require updating.

- When it is proved that you want to change your name to avoid debts by pretending to be someone else.

- When it is proved that you are trying to impersonate another person for fraudulent reasons. 

- When your requested new name is obscene or racial.

- When your requested new name is a number, punctuation, or a symbol (except Roman numerals).

Once you have decided to change your name and have obtained the certified marriage license or the approved court order with your new name on it, you have to ensure that all your official, financial, civic, and security documents reflect your new name. This helps avoid running into trouble when having to use these documents in future. The following name change check list gives an overview of the documents that needs to be changed.

It is wise to change the documents as soon as the court order or the marriage license arrives. In some states, there is an expiry date within which the name changing process for the documents has to be started. In recent times, though not required officially, changing your name in social media, like Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram, etc., is also an important part of the name change procedure. After all your friends, associates, colleagues, and acquaintances should recognize you by your new name!