You might decide to change your name for a variety of reasons, including following a marriage or divorce, taking the name of your adoptive parents, aligning with your gender identity, etc. No matter what your reasoning may be for your name change, you will want to be sure to follow the necessary steps and complete the required paperwork to ensure the name change process goes as smoothly as possible. Here are three common mistakes with name changes you will want to avoid.
- Neglecting the necessary paperwork: One crucial mistake often made during name changes is neglecting the necessary paperwork. Depending on your planned name change, you will need to file a variety of paperwork to make the change legal. While you may be able to adapt to your new name socially, neglecting to legally change your name with the necessary paperwork can cause issues for you in the future.
- Forgetting to update your documents: Name changes require you to update a variety of identification, including your social security card, passport, driver’s license, bank accounts, medical records, voter registration, insurance policies, etc. Forgetting to update one of those documents could lead to mismatched documents, which could cause difficulties with new employment, purchasing a plane ticket, renewing your license, and other tasks.
- Not considering long-term implications of the new name: When it comes to name changes, it’s important to consider the long-term implications of the new name. For example, will the name still resonate with you in a few years, or will you regret making a decision made in haste?
If you are considering a name change, give us a call at Hildebrand Law Office, P.C. We can offer any legal guidance you may need and help ensure you don’t miss any deadlines or necessary legal work and paperwork required for name changes.
Contact us today to learn more.