If you’re getting a divorce, one of the things you might be interested in is changing your name back to your maiden name. If your name was previously changed after you got married, then you may be familiar with the steps you took before to change your name. Now, however, there are some additional factors to consider.
For example, if you have children, you’ll need to decide if you want to change your name back to your maiden name, especially if they have your married name as their last name. You may also want to consider keeping your name if you’ve used it professionally.
How can you change your name post-divorce?
If you decide that you do want to change your name following your divorce, then you should ask the court to modify your name in the divorce order. You and your attorney can request your name change at that time, which saves you time and effort that might otherwise be spent heading to the Social Security office.
If your divorce has been finalized but you didn’t request a name change, then you will have a few options to consider. The first is to ask the court to modify the divorce order with a name change. The second is to go to the local court or Social Security office to ask for the documents to change your name.
Will you need to attend court?
Sometimes, it is necessary to go to court to change your name, but that’s not always the case. If you want to have your name changed in your divorce petition, then you may need to go to a hearing.
When you change your name, you do usually need to present your current Social Security card and at least one other form of identifying document. This is to prevent issues with identity theft.
If you’re not sure if you want to change your name, this is something to discuss with your attorney. They can tell you more about the benefits or downsides of changing your name after divorce and help you see how it would affect you.
