How to change your name?

[OnErth&InHvn]

I have been wanting to do this for some time, but DH threw such a fit about it, i never did. I want to either, change my last name back to my maiden or hyphenate it together. Id prefer Hyphenated.

DS has my maiden name
DD1 and DD2 have my married name
** I do not want to change theirs**

How do i do it? As far as I intend, we are separating, not getting divorced (though the plans could change) but i know with a divorce I can ask the judge to change it. What do I do in this case? Id need to change SSN card, License, and i guess everything else isnt "official" so id just call the electric company,etc and tell them.

 

[Maybe1stBaby]

I have been wanting to do this for some time, but DH threw such a fit about it, i never did. I want to either, change my last name back to my maiden or hyphenate it together. Id prefer Hyphenated.

DS has my maiden name
DD1 and DD2 have my married name
** I do not want to change theirs**

How do i do it? As far as I intend, we are separating, not getting divorced (though the plans could change) but i know with a divorce I can ask the judge to change it. What do I do in this case? Id need to change SSN card, License, and i guess everything else isnt "official" so id just call the electric company,etc and tell them.

I legally changed my name in 2007. I don't know if different states have different laws, but I went through www.legalzoom.com and they helped me fill out the paperwork and I had to go to court, file the paperwork, put an ad in a newspaper or local business journal (based on some archaic law in CA, people can contest your name change) for 4 weeks, go back to court....

And then I had to change all my identification (which was a hassle, passport, drivers license, credit cards, etc, etc)

I do know I never would have figured it all out without legalzoom because they broke it down step by step and provided me with all the necessary forms. I'm not sure if I'm forgetting anything in the process, but there were a lot of things I had to do and it's been 4 years, so I don't really remember. Hope that helps!

 

[billy2mm]

in scotland im entitled to call myself what ever i want so i changed back to may maiden name as soon as i had a new copy of my birth certificate. my kids also now have my maiden name for the nursery/school/dentist/doctor etc but they dont have a bank account coz i refuse to get one unless its in their "proper" name as opossed to the name of their birth certificates.

i would just call up the companies and ask them what evidence they require to get it changed. some places just require your birth certiciate some might want both your birth certificate and marriage certificate others want divorce papers.

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

I legally changed my name in 2007. I don't know if different states have different laws, but I went through www.legalzoom.com and they helped me fill out the paperwork and I had to go to court, file the paperwork, put an ad in a newspaper or local business journal (based on some archaic law in CA, people can contest your name change) for 4 weeks, go back to court....

And then I had to change all my identification (which was a hassle, passport, drivers license, credit cards, etc, etc)

I do know I never would have figured it all out without legalzoom because they broke it down step by step and provided me with all the necessary forms. I'm not sure if I'm forgetting anything in the process, but there were a lot of things I had to do and it's been 4 years, so I don't really remember. Hope that helps!

Legalzoom is $130- do they do everything? file with newspaper,court, etc?
I can file it all myself through county court for $100 + cost of $25 to file with newspaper.

 

[Maybe1stBaby]

They fill out all the forms and give you the correct number of copies, step by step instructions, the correct address of which court you need to go to, etc.

They don't actually file it for you.

I live in Los Angeles, a huge city, so navigating the extensive court system and all the legal paperwork was a nightmare for me. In retrospect, I probably could have tried to figure it all out for much less, but I was too busy, and in college, so I was glad they did everything but file.

If you already know what to do, and where to go, it sounds like you're doing better than I was!

 

[Lidee]

interesting..

 

[littlekitten8]

Wow its much harder in the states than here. We just use something called Deed Poll. Costs £38 and you just fill out the form and send it off and then get a certificate which shows your new name. You use it in conjunction with your birth certificate.