Name Change FAQ

How do I implement my name change?

Questions:

Answer:

How do I implement my name change?

Whether you have changed your name by usage or by court order, the most important part of accomplishing your name change is to let others know you've taken a new name. Although it may take a little time to contact government agencies and businesses, don't be intimidated by the task -- it's a common procedure.

The practical steps of implementing a name change are:

Advise officials and businesses. Contact the various government and business agencies with which you deal and have your name changed on their records. See Changing Identification and Records, below.
Enlist help of family and friends. Tell your friends and family that you've changed your name and you now want them to use only your new one. It may take those close to you a while to get used to associating you with a new sound. Some of them might even object to using the new name, perhaps fearing the person they know so well is becoming someone else. Be patient and persistent.
Use only your new name. If you are employed or in school, go by your new name there. Introduce yourself to new acquaintances and business contacts with your new name.

Changing Identification and Records

To complete your name change, you'll need to tell others about it. Contact the people and institutions you deal with and ask what type of documentation they require to make your name change official in their records. Different institutions will have different rules and forms; a few will only require your phone call or an email. But in our increasingly security-conscious world, most will require special forms, a copy of a court order listing your new name, and, in a few instances, even a personal meeting.

It's generally recommended that you first acquire a driver's license, then a Social Security card in your new name. Once you have those pieces of identification, it's usually fairly simple to acquire others or have records changed to reflect your new name.

Here are the people and institutions to notify of your name change:

Friends and family
Employers
Schools
Post office
Department of Motor Vehicles
Social Security Administration
Department of Records or Vital Statistics (issuers of birth certificates)
Banks and other financial institutions
Creditors and debtors
Telephone and utility companies
State taxing authority
Insurance agencies
Registrar of Voters
Passport office
Public Assistance (welfare) office
Veterans Administration.

If you've made a will or other estate planning document (like a living trust), it's best to replace it with a new document using your new name. Your beneficiaries won't lose their inheritances if you don't, but changing the document now will avoid confusion later.

Finally, remember to change your name on other important legal papers -- for example, powers of attorney, living wills, and contracts.