changing your name

Smile5 · January 2010

How long did it take for you to change your name? I'm finally going to do it and wasnted to do it for my H as an anniversary gift, but since our anniversary is less than 2 weeks away I'm thinking I'm too late!!!

bethandbryan · January 2010

The complete change on everything can take a little while, as you usually have to do each piece individually. Changing it on your license and Social Security are the first steps and didn't take me all that long, with 2 weeks, you might be ok. It'll depend what you want as "evidence" since ID cards come in the mail.

HockeyWife2be · January 2010

As long as you have all the documents you need, it shouldn't take that long. I went to SS first, then to the DMV. After that I just had to call aound to places to get my name changed on bills and accounts.

jenafish31 · January 2010

I have been married 2.5 years and have not changed my name, only on the bank.. after I changed it at the bank I realized I didn't want to change my name.. my sister did it though and it didn't take long either, she started at DMV then social security..

ljo128 · January 2010

I did it a couple months ago, and it took more time than I expected. The only tips I have are to go to the DMV and SS office early in the morning and if they tell you "no" for some reason, wait in line again and try a different clerk.

One worker at the DMV told me they couldn't change my maiden name to my middle name and that I'd need to get a lawyer to do an official name change. The next day I went to the same office with some extra paperwork and they didn't even ask about it.

Temp552270562505132 · January 2010

you need to bring your birth certificate, marriage certificate, social security card, and drivers license to the social security administration building nearest to you (ssa.gov i think it is)- this is where the legal official "name change" takes place. they give you a receipt (to show them at the DMV as verification of name change and identity) after checking your docs and then they send it to you in the mail. then you have to wait a day because the ssa electronically files so you have to wait min. 24 hrs. and go to the DMV and then they can process the name chance for your license also. (bring all the previous documents as well as the receipt from the ssa with you to the dmv)

then the other stuff is just phone calls. but the main parts- first ssa, then dmv.

badtzmaru22 · January 2010

If you go to the SS office first, then it's official, and you can take as long as you want on everything else.

I still haven't changed my name on my IRA, because I have to fill out special paperwork and get a bank notarization, not just a regular notary. PITA, I tell you! I've been married almost four years now, and I honestly would not have changed it if I'd known. It's just a hassle to get time to go to the SS office and the DMV and make all those calls. If I had to do it over, I'd just go by DH's name socially, but legally keep my own name.

changing your name

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