Adopt The Right Procedures in Order to Legally Change Your Name

At times, due to certain situations, you want to start fresh in life and legally change your name. As soon as this thought crosses your mind and you want to pursue it, you need to look at the legal implications and procedures which you need to adopt.

Changing your name is undoubtedly easy if you know the exact process as there are numerous legal measures, which you need to pursue. Along with different reasons that may necessitate you to change name, if you are divorced and want to start fresh in life, you can adopt your new name too.

Generally, you are required to submit a legal application in the court for changing your name legally. Your attorney can file the application to legally change your name. It may cost a lot of money to change your name if you don’t know the process and lead to you needing to decide whether the process is worth bothering with. However, you need to think logically and plan properly before you submit the application to legally change your name and go to the concerned authorities.

Source: http://hitchswitch.livejournal.com/3244.htmlhttp://hitchswitch.livejournal.com/3244.html

New Married Name: Some Valuable Insights that Prove Importance of The Process

Marriage means taking up of a new life that changes lot of things from your previous way of living. Lot of new things will come into your life along with having to make some adjustments too. However, these alterations and adjustments are blissful as the new relationship is something that you must have longed for.

Having a new married name is one of the most important things that will be a reality post marriage. At present, this has become a very common practice and every female takes her husband’s name after marriage.

For few, the name change debate may be quite ruthless and at the same time, it may be the perfect solution. Granted, for majority of the women, new married name is a non-issue factor. It has been estimated that nearly 90 percent of the women who are marrying today leave their maiden name and take up their husband’s name.

Source: http://hitchswitcusa.tumblr.com/post/153374454232/new-married-name-some-valuable-insights-that

The Who, Why and How of Legal Name Change

Who all can change their name legally

All the people apply for legal name change can be primarily divided into three categories, or rather groups I would say: Adults, Child (Minor) and Family. Adults, both men and women, can apply for name change. The name change application for children can be filed by parents or guardians. If all members in one family want to change their last name legally, they can file a name change petition as a one unit and once approved, all family members will be able to use the new last name for all of their legal documents.

Why do name change

Different people have different sort of reasons for name change. But here we will take a look at some of the most common reasons why people across America opt for legal name change. Just continue reading.

• Marriage

A large number of newlywed brides take their spouse’s surname legally every year. In some states including New York, California, Georgia, North Dakota and Massachusetts, there are stories of men who legally accept their wife’s surname as their last name after marriage.

Instead of choosing the idea of any one partner changing his or her surname, some couples decide to hyphenate their surnames to create a brand new surname for both partners. The name change process after marriage may vary from one state to another. You will need to enquire about the relevant laws in your state before you move ahead with the legal name change idea.

• Divorce

When a woman, who legally changed to married name after marriage, files for a divorce, she can add an application to replace her married name with her birth name (maiden name) in her divorce decree. Some women also prefer having a new name instead going back to maiden name after their divorce is granted. If a matter of kids’ custody is involved in the divorce procedure, minors may also undergo the process of legal name change.

• A troublesome or awkward existing name

If you find your existing name a bit abnormal, funny or annoying, legal name change is the answer. Some names are very difficult to pronounce or spell; if you own such name, name change makes a great solution.

If people always pronounce or spell your name such that it embarrass you, don’t wait any long to get your name changed legally. Some people also opt for legal name change due to their more ‘ethnic’ current name, while some change to their existing name to reclaim old surname linking back to their cultural heritage.

• Child Adoption

When a family adopts a child, they are most likely to give the child their own last name.

• Gender Change

Gay or lesbian couples often prefer name change to share a common last name. Some of them also change their first name to convey their gender rightly. Not all the states in the country consider same sex marriage a legitimate event, but same sex couples can request name change to share a common last name for all their important documents.

On top of these, there can be a plenty of other reasons why people consider legal name change including political support, religious reasons, etc. Some people consider name change to strengthen their professional identity.

How to change name legally

Well, changing name legally is certainly not same as changing your name in social media. You need to enquire the name change laws in your own state. During name change process, you may need to submit identity proof, residency proof or marriage proof depending on the reason you are changing name for. Once you have all relevant forms and documents ready, you need to file name change petition in the local court.

While you can change to any name, there are certain restrictions you have in the selection of new name. For example, you can’t legally take the name of popular celebrities such as Leo Dicaprio. You also can’t take copyrighted or trademarked names of companies or products. Your name couldn’t have numbers, signs and initials. You can’t take prohibited, racism or abusive words as your new name legally.

Regardless of your reason of legal name change, hiring a professional name change service can truly make your name change process easier and faster. Look for a name change agency online today!

A Comprehensive Guide On Everything You Need To Do For Changing Name After Marriage

Perhaps you have tied knot recently. If it’s true, many congratulations! When done carefully in right steps, changing name after marriage isn’t a complex process. However, there are many stories of newlyweds who witness a lot of hassles and troubles on their way to changing their maiden name. And this is why here we have brought you a complete guide on formally changing name.

When you need to change your maiden name post wedding, you have got mainly two options.

The DIY Way

First alternative is doing it yourself. You will need to visit your local SSA (Social Security Administration) office as well as DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) to process for name changing legally. You will need to verify forms, pay fees and check the addresses. This can be time consuming and annoying at times.

Hire a reliable name changing service

By hiring a name change service, you can save your time and efforts.  A professional name change service provider will save you from the need of collecting all forms on own, regardless of which state you live in. The name change specialists will also help you fill up all those forms, fees, etc. within a reasonable timeframe. Hire them for changing name after marriage and they will make you completely stress-free.

Source: http://hitchswitcusa.tumblr.com/post/150350434772/a-comprehensive-guide-on-everything-you-need-to-do

Don’t Make These 5 Mistakes in Name Change After Marriage

Replace your middle name with a maiden name, choose for a hyphenated last name, take your husband’s last name as yours or simply don’t change to a new married name at all – which option do you liked the most? Well, if you are considering legal name change after marriage, there are certain things you shouldn’t do.

Millions of newlywed Americans go for legal name change every year after their marriage. But not all of them get through the name change process in hassle-free manner. Some make mistakes and end up regretting them. In this post, we have shared 5 mistakes you should avoid while legally changing to Mrs. from Ms.

Say no to these 5 mistakes

Making an impulsive decision

Remember, once you begin with the legal name change process and get through it, it won’t be easy getting back to your maiden name again. So, discuss with your spouse and family, and take the required time to make a right decision. Besides, if you have changed your maiden name in social security card and not changing it in other documents like driver license, bank accounts, etc., it can create some troubles regarding your identity and tax deductions later.

It is very important that all your important documents to feature exactly same name. So, if you want to choose name change after marriage, do it for all documents like passport, bank account, driver license, vehicle registrations, credit card, insurance, subscriptions, etc. if you have no confusion, remember to get your marriage license immediately as you tie the knot. Marriage license will be used as one of the primary identity proof for your name change applications at various government offices.

Getting influenced by others

You need not to consider name change after marriage simply because that’s what a large number of newlywed brides do every year. Also, you need not to get influenced by your close friend’s name change decision. Name change is solely your decision and accepting your spouse name isn’t the only option you have. You can keep your maiden name as a middle name and spouse’s last name as your surname.

You can also consider other name change options like a hyphenated last name or think of having a new surname with your husband. Discuss your views on name change with your to-be-partner but always remember that the decision is always yours.

Ignoring to your personal viewpoint

As said above, it is very important to give utmost priority to your own viewpoint about the name change after marriage. It’s your last name and your first identity in your professional and personal space. There is no need to consider any conventional beliefs. You can respect your own perspective about the name change after marriage.

Overlooking the effects or consequences of name change

There are couples who choose to have a common last name which contains both wife and husband’s last name into it. That’s technically known as name hyphenation. However, not all of them realize how complicated it can turn out for their children to get identified with that long hyphenated last name. And it can be even scarier last name for the grandchildren.

It is wise not to overlook the implications of your name change decision. For example, if you have decided to continue using your maiden name, whose name will you give to your future children? How does it feel when you don’t share a common surname with your husband and children?

Considering legal name change a DIY project

If you are thinking of doing all paperwork involved in the legal process of name change after marriage, think twice. You might not have time to visit all government offices on own and stand in those queues. The forms may look complicated to you and chances are you may collect wrong forms, if not given attention. But hiring a professional name change service can take out all the hassles of the name change process.

Hope this post helps you take right decision for name change after marriage!

The Do’s and Don’ts of Legally Changing your Name after Marriage

Marriage is a significant milestone in one’s life, which tends to bring about some big changes in the lifestyles of both the husband and wife. One such change pertains to the wife’s last name. Traditionally, it was customary to expect the wife to replace her maiden name with her husband’s family name, which would effectively bind her into a family unit. This is no longer the norm, and it is perfectly acceptable for a woman to retain her maiden name even after marriage. Using a hyphenated name, which includes both hers and her husband’s surname is also an oft treaded path these days. Irrespective of the couple’s decision, anny change in name should be done legally and the new name must be updated on all legal documents.

Jumping through legal hoops

In order to change one’s name legally, one should obtain a copy of the marriage certificate from the Department of Health. Having multiple certified copies is recommended, as it allows the couple to process different forms at once. The Department of Health issues these forms at a small fee, which can vary depending on where you live.

The next step is to apply for a new Social Security card by filling out Form SS-5, and submitting certified copies of the marriage certificate and an ID proof. This is an important aspect of legally changing your name after marriage, and is one of the most important aspects of returning your professional life to normalcy. The agency will issue a new Social Security card in about two weeks’ time. You can contact Social Security for more information about the same at www.ssa.gov

Make sure to let your employer know of your name change, so that your income is updated to the new Social Security Number, hence allowing you to get your tax refunds on time, without any hassles.

Source: http://hitchswitch.livejournal.com/2489.html

What You Need to Remember While Changing Name After Marriage

There are lots of decisions to make when you have a wedding around the corner such as which wedding gown to wear, what all decoration needed, what will be the menu in reception party, etc. And one of the most important things to decide upon is whether or not you want to change your last name after marriage.

Some deny changing name after marriage simply because of the hassles involved into the process while they actually want to adapt to their husband’s last name. Then, there are some women who simply can’t think leaving their maiden name behind. For the former group of women, there is a great news; there are so many name change agencies available online who make your legal name change process easier!

No, these professional name change service providers don’t cost a bomb. In fact, these companies offer multiple packages for different needs of people. And of course they can provide you with a custom name change package to best suit your requirements. To those who don’t want to accept a new last name are advised to not take any decision in rush.

It is a good idea to carefully consider your name change decision and all the consequences it can lead to. For those who have considered the idea of changing name after marriage, this post has some useful tips and information. Let’s read on.

When you want to take your spouse’s last name after marriage

Changing your last name legally isn’t same as changing your name in any social media site. There is a lot of paperwork involved. And simply marrying too won’t give you a new name. You will need to apply for your marriage license first. If your honeymoon tour begins immediately after wedding ceremony, you can travel with your maiden name. But the first thing to do when you are back to your new home is getting your marriage license.

Next thing you need to do is make a checklist of all places where you need to legally change your name. Hiring a name change service can certainly makes things simpler and faster for you. However, if you want to do all name change process on own, gear up yourself for collecting a no. of forms from a number of different government agencies one by one, stand in queues and do some really hard work for a few days.

The first priority list of places to visit for changing name after marriage

• SSN (Social Security Number): Once you have your marriage license, visit the social security administration office in your area to begin name change process. You can also download the relevant form online on its website or can collect it in person at its local office. When you hire a name change service, you don’t have to go and collect the required forms. Instead the forms are given to you readily and you just need to sign them! Can it be simpler?

• Workplace: You will need to inform your HR about the legal name change event, so your next salary comes with a right married name and your taxes too are deducted under a correct name. It is a good idea to add your husband as a nominee in your PF form.

• DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles): Once you have changed your married name in your social security card and in salary as well as HR forms, the next place to visit is your local DMV office. You will need to change name and address in your driver’s license as well as in vehicle registration. Take original and a few copies of your marriage certificate and new social security card with you as ID proof.

• Passport office: You would wish to fly on a next trip as Mrs. Instead of Ms. So, get your new last name updated in your passport.

• Banks, Credit Card Companies and other financial institutes: This may seem to you like a really challenging job to do, but don’t panic and make a list of all bank accounts, insurance policies, credit card accounts, etc. you have where you need to change your maiden name.

What are the other places you need to change name after marriage

Once you have updated your married name in the above listed most important documents, it is a good idea to update your new name in all subscriptions, online accounts, gym, cable bill, postal office and any other place you can think of. Having a same last name everywhere will leave no room for confusion later. It is also a good idea to get your annual free credit report done and ensure name change has cause no trouble in it.

Changing name after marriage ain’t a nightmare anymore thanks to the established name change service provider agencies. Find your name change agency online today!

Getting a Legal Name Change after Divorce

Getting a divorce can be mentally and emotionally draining. However, it is important to keep calm, and go through with the necessary legal proceedings as soon as possible. One such legal aspect that stumps most people is the seemingly convoluted processes involved in changing one’s name. With more and more women opting to use their maiden names after a divorce, the courts have simplified this process, and in most cases, this clause is included in the divorce decree, upon request.

It is necessary to update all the legal documents to reflect the changed marital status and the new name after the divorce, especially if a woman is adopting her maiden name after the separation. This will also be the first step towards a new life, and symbolizes an acceptance of divorce. So, remember that it is never too late to get a legal name change after the divorce, no matter how long it has been since your divorce.

Source: http://articles.abilogic.com/183766/getting-legal-name-change-after.html