Prove to the county clerk that you have published your name change. To do this, you must obtain and complete an “affidavit of disclosure” from the county official. Marriage and divorce are by far the most common reasons why people change their names. Generally, if you change your name after you get married, a marriage certificate is the only thing you need. A divorce decree is all you need to change your name again after the divorce. From Netflix and HBO to hosting your blog, we all have smaller monthly automatic payments that we can sometimes forget. Look at a few months of bank statements on all your cards and accounts, and pay attention to the regular payments you make automatically. Log in to these accounts to make the change, enter your new credit card or banking information, and update your payment information with your new name. State law regulates what you can call yourself. While you can call yourself pretty unique things, there are a few concrete rules for name changes that you need to stick to. Note, however, that there may be certain restrictions that you can change your name, including, but not limited to, the following: Once you have legally changed your name, you should also consider changing your name to: Your loved ones may not understand the reasons why you are changing your name, especially if you choose to give up a surname or change the maiden name your parents have have gone. Once your ID has been updated with your new name, go to your local bank branch to update your bank account information. Keep in mind that most banks require these changes to be made in person or that you send a certified copy of your marriage certificate if you don`t live near a physical location.
If you are coming in person, bring the following documents: If the name of your choice does not fall into the above categories, you can check with a lawyer to make sure the change is legally valid. Of course, if you are on your honeymoon outside the country, you will need your passport, and your passport must match your tickets. If you have your new passport when you travel, book the ticket under your new name. If you do not have your new passport at the moment, respect your maiden name when booking the ticket. Some states have different name change procedures for everyone except for a woman who adopts her husband`s surname after marriage (including hyphenation), depending on the circumstances. Therefore, a formal application for a name change must be made to the court in the following circumstances: Your driver`s licence must be updated with a new name in person. Most states consider this change part of the license renewal process, so you`ll need to take a new photo and pay the renewal fee. Visit your state`s DMV website to print the renewal application form. Filling this out in advance will save you time once you get there.
Some DMVs also accept appointments, which speeds things up. When you visit the DMV, bring the following documents with you: Be sure to change your name on all your personal and legal documents such as wills, deeds, securities, trusts, accounts and powers of attorney. Changing your name on estate planning documents will make it much easier for your heirs in the future. While your heirs may not be disinherited due to a name discrepancy, they may need to go through other steps to show your previous name and true identity before receiving their share. Generally, you can legally change your name to any name you want, although state marriage laws can also provide additional legal advice. However, there are some exceptions. For example, you can`t: decide which name you`re going to use professionally, and send an email to your co-workers, customers, and suppliers when you return from your honeymoon, and introduce yourself again with the name you used. This is especially important if your business changes your email address to reflect your new last name.
If you don`t change it, you may want to let your colleagues know as well. The problems arise when it comes to government and financial authorities. Since identity theft, credit card fraud, and even fear of terrorist spies are widespread, many financial and government agencies may require legal court documents to prove your identity. There are certain forms of identification, such as a social security card, birth certificate, and passports, that absolutely require legal name change documents. Regardless of the reason for the child`s name change, the court usually requires that the standard that the name change is in the best interests of the child. Depending on the state you live in and the reason for your name change, you may need to do an FBI background check and have your fingerprints taken. Both also charge a fee. Usually, yes. The law requires a person who files an application for a change of name to indicate their home address in their court documents. However, for cases filed on or after September 1, 2021, you will not be required to disclose your home address or the reason you are requesting a name change if: If the court agrees to change your name, you will need to do three other things: Most likely, you will have to fill out a large amount of paperwork that coincides with your name change. There is paperwork when you have to file with the courts, and there is paperwork to change your name on your important documents (such as passports or bank accounts).
Overall, it can be a lot of work. You must send notices of name changes to Social Security, DMV, and other agencies that have your records. For examples of notification forms, see: Make a list of all the places where your maiden name appears and gather important documents. It`s time to officially change your last name! In general, the six steps to a name change vary from state to state, but the following list is a good place to start. Check with your local court to get all the necessary requirements for a name change in your area. If you need help, a family law lawyer can prepare your petition and answer your questions. This article provides general information on this topic. The laws relating to this issue may have changed since this article was written. For specific legal advice on a problem you have, seek advice from a lawyer.
Receiving this information does not make you a customer of our office. In New York, you can change your name without going to court. You can simply start using your new name. However, it may be best to ask a court to change your name. Most government agencies or companies (such as the DMV, Social Security Administration, and airlines) won`t accept your new name without a court order. People change their names for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, if you have a Global Entry card, you will not be able to change your name online as you will get a new passport number if you change your name on your passport. However, you don`t have to make an appointment months in advance.
Once you have received your new passport, simply bring it to the nearest registration center where you can update your account information. You will keep your current Global Entry card (along with your maiden name) because the digital data attached to your card will reflect your new information and match your passport, even if the physical card does not. If you prefer to get a new card with your new name, you can order one through your Global Entry account (after personally updating your passport information) for a $25 fee. If the order can`t be changed, or you don`t want to go through this process, you may need to request a name change, but keep in mind that many states allow you to simply reuse your previous name as long as you do it regularly. You can then request that it be changed in all your identification and personal records, but only after you have asked the court for a formal and documented change. In addition to your friends and family members, here are some of the entities you should notify once you legally change your name: Divorce: Any spouse can ask the court to use a name that was used before the marriage during the divorce. New York divorce decrees include an order that allows you to revert to a previous surname or surname, whether or not you apply for permission. Here we will break down the general process to get a name change. All passport changes must be requested by mail. The Department of Foreign Affairs has developed a handy tool to help you fill out the amendment form, which you can find here. Once you`ve completed it, send the following to the National Passport Processing Center: Since each state varies in its name change rules, you should contact your local clerk to find out what your state`s requirements are. A: While most names are on the table, there are usually restrictions on your ability to change your name at will.
For example, you cannot change your name to avoid creditors or arrests, to mislead, confuse or offend others. Numbers and special characters are generally not allowed for name changes. Changing your name to match your spouse`s last name is one of the most common reasons people want to change their name.