Divorce and Your Name: A Step-by-Step Guide to Going Back to Your Maiden Name
Getting through a divorce is already a challenging, overwhelming, and emotionally taxing process.
Then, there are legal and practical essentials that you need to take care of, including changing your married name back to your maiden name. Or you might want to change your name entirely as well.
Either way, changing your name requires a lot of homework to do before you get into it. In this article, we help you understand the entire process by exploring different scenarios you might be dealing with.
How To Change Your Name After Divorce?
To begin with a name change after divorce process, you need to file a name change request with your divorce petition. Make sure to double-check the final divorce decree, which must contain your name change.
Then, you will be required to use the divorce certificate or divorce decree to change your name with various government agencies, businesses, and institutions such as:
Social Security Administration (SSA)
Your employer
Your bank or other financial institutions
Your children’s schools/colleges
Your credit cards
The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
Anywhere else where you have your former name on a file
How To Change Your Name After Divorce With SSA?
When you go through the entire process of name change after divorce by submitting a name change request with a divorce certificate, you must change your name with SSA.
To do that, you need to notify the SSA to get a new card. It is also important to understand that you cannot just apply for a new card online.
Before visiting the SSA office, make sure that you have the proof of your name change with you. You will find that in your final divorce papers.
Apart from this, you may also want to get yourself a new driver’s license or state ID with your new name, even before requesting a new social security card.
Here are the steps you need to follow to request a new social security card:
Step 1: Fill out an application to get a new SSA card
Step 2: Present a certificate copy of your divorce license/ divorce decree or court order for the name change ( which you can find at your court clerk's office)
Step 3: Show proof of your U.S citizenship or residency
Step 4: Give proof of your identity and age
Step 5: After this, SSA will then send you a new card with your new changed name. When you receive it, make sure to check the SSN and name is correct.
To simplify this name change process, consider hiring name change services after divorce to assist you with paperwork and streamline the process effectively.
How To Change Your Last Name After Divorce?
So, supposedly, you’ve taken your ex-spouse’s last name, and now you’re getting divorced. Hence, you want to change your last name to a prior one.
This is where you need to go through the surname change after the divorce process, which tends to vary depending on which jurisdiction you’re in.
Still, in most states, you can just request the divorce court to register a formal order to change your last name. All you need is a court order stating the change of your married name to your maiden name because this acts as an official record of your name change.
The best you can do to minimize the hassle during a name change is to request it during the divorce process, not later.
Then, you can use the certified copy of this court order to change your name in other places, including on your identification cards, bank accounts, magazine subscriptions, credit cards, and anywhere else.
What To Do When Your Divorce Decree Does Not Contain An Order For Changing Your Name?
If your divorce decree doesn’t feature an order to change your name, there are other options to choose from. Some courts will allow you to request a change to the court order to include a name change.
For example, in California, you can file an ‘Ex parte application for restoration of a former name after entry of judgment and order’ ( form FL-395). Once you get an approved order on this, you use its certified copy to change your name across government agencies and businesses.
What If the Court Doesn’t Allow Name Change In The Court Order?
In case the court does not change the order, there are still other options; however, it requires some more footwork, particularly when you want to change your name completely.
There are some states that allow you to apply to change your name by using your old name again. This will also require you to change your name on multiple organizations and personal records extensively. However, this method can cause some issues, such as when flying or getting a new passport.
It is important to understand that taking up your prior or former name is much easier than changing it entirely. This is primarily because you have some documentation on your former name.
What If You Didn’t Change Your Name During Divorce And Considering It Now?
If you miss the window during a divorce proceeding for a name change, and it has been a while, and now you’re considering it, there is still a way to do it. In this case, you have to file for the legal name change process.
Fill out your name change request form, which you can find on your state’s court website with paying the filing fee.
You can also get these forms from your county clerk’s office if they are unavailable online. Remember, you have to show your photo identification and social security number as well.
Change Your Name After Divorce WIth HitchSwitch
The name change process can be overwhelming and daunting, especially around the time of your divorce proceedings. There are a lot of legal complications, paperwork, and nuances to deal with. The best you can do is reach out to any top name change services online with a reputation, such as HitchSwitch, known for their 100% success rate, exceptional customer assistance, and legal experts to take care of everything regarding your name change process.
Also Read::
Unlocking Your Identity: The Process of Legally Changing Your Name