Can I Legally Change My Name before My Divorce Is Final

I thought she would understand, but everything I hadn`t questioned, she did for me now: Why do you want to make this change? That question too. Why after such a long time? Have you had a problem with your married name? Do you think that`s what you really want? Are you going to change your mind and want it reversed, just like someone does after getting a big tribal tattoo?! Brette`s response: It is common for a judge to include a provision in the decree that any party can revert to a prenuptial name. However, to make sure, you need to respond or appear and make sure that this is the case. You need to determine what your state`s requirements are for appearance – you may just need to file a form or appear in court. Cheryl`s question: My fiancé`s ex-wife didn`t take back her maiden name after the divorce. Can we get a court order asking her to go back to her maiden name? Can divorce indicate that I will revert to my maiden name? Is there a cheap way to get my maiden name back after the divorce? Taren`s question: It was granted in my divorce that I could go back to my maiden name, but I haven`t changed it so far. I just received my first family allowance cheque and it was written my maiden name. Was my name automatically changed when the divorce was granted? Changing your name before divorce is possible in many states. So if you want to change your name and not wait for your divorce decree, you can do so in most cases.

Brette`s answer: You can get your divorce decree from the court that issued it. If he has given you permission to use your maiden name, this is the legal proof you need. If this is not the case, you will have to conduct a name change procedure in the local court dealing with this type of case, most likely in your subordinate state court. Penny`s question: I got married eleven years ago and found out a few years later that he was still married to someone else (he ended up divorcing her). We separate and I try to find my maiden name, but he passed away recently. Kelly`s question: I`m divorced, so I started changing my name. No problem with the Social Security Office. But when I brought the same documents and my new social card to DMV, they didn`t want to do it because the divorce decree didn`t contain a name change provision. What should I do from here? Some credit cards also allow you to change your name without an official court order.

For other financial and bank accounts, you often have to wait until you receive the name change order. I thought, „Well, I know who I am, what difference does it really make? I`m just going to go ahead and make everyone happy. But at this point, especially given the difficulties my husband and I had, I wanted to regain my unique self. So I started, which turned out to be a long and surprising, but ultimately rewarding, legal process, in which I received a name change before the divorce. Marci`s question: I filled out the paperwork and asked for my maiden name when I got divorced. The judge asked me if I was going to take my maiden name back, and I said yes and signed it. I received my „Marriage Dissolution Report Certificate” and it has NO „maiden name” list. I`m trying to figure out HOW to show that my name has been changed. I told her that once I had done the work for myself, I would contact her and let her know how I did it. As I progressed, most of the people I met were either confused by my action or thought it was a brave and courageous thing to do. I know that was an important statement for me.

I felt like I was defending myself. The world would „call me by my name,” damn it, the name of my choice. NOTE: You can use this operation to restore any previous legal name. If you have undergone multiple legal name changes, you can request that one of your previous legal names be restored. You are not limited to the name of your birth certificate if you have had more than one legal name change, married or other legal name, as can happen with adoption or citizenship. Brette`s answer: Most divorce decrees give a woman the right to regain her maiden name. It`s not mandatory, but since most women opt for it, the children`s aid agency probably changed it automatically. You can let them know if you want the check to be written in your married woman`s name instead. Brette`s answer: Your name doesn`t change until you change it on all your documents like your license and passport, etc. The easiest way to change your last name to your maiden name is to do so during your divorce. You would ask the judge to reinstate your name, either when you file for divorce or before closing your divorce file. The verdict on the dissolution of the marriage order will say that your maiden name is restored.

Question from Mailin: The divorce decree states that the name change will be returned to my virgin. Do I have to change it or can I keep the wedding name if I choose to do so? Will it automatically change any location in the court system or will it only be legally changed if I change it with the Social Security and Driver`s License offices? I hoped that my desire to control my own name was a good reason, but I wasn`t sure what the judge would think. And then a series of questions followed to prove that I wasn`t trying to pay taxes, child support or debts. Then there is the second stage, the petition itself, which shows the changes I had requested. It had to be notarized. Hilary`s question: I divorced and remarried last year. My divorce papers say I`m changing my last name to my maiden name, but my new marriage license says I`m changing it from my old marriage name to my new wedding name. Do I have to change it for my maiden name first before changing it to my new wedding name? Question from Stephanie: Does the divorce have to be final before you can go back to your maiden name, and will it be wise to do so as it still pays off some of the bills? Social Security, passport, DMV, and other important places require you to give them a certified court order. Banks, other government agencies and financial institutions. Even birth certificates make the desired changes when you present the certified copy. You will need at least one certified copy to make changes after approval by your judge, and many people will receive 2 or more. One that can be stored in a safe place and can be used when needed.

Thank you very much for that! I miss mentioning the name I`ve always known! Brette`s answer: Usually, when you get married, you simply show your marriage certificate to change your name. It seems that this is the solution in your case. The divorce decree gives you the option to change your name to your prenuptial name if you wish, but this is not a requirement. You should talk to your lawyer if you are not sure what to do. $245. (plus your unpaid divorce fees, if any) Includes 1 certified copy upon approval. Brette`s answer: Yes, you have to change it everywhere – SS, driver`s license, banks, credit cards, property tax, everything. Jenny`s question: I divorced and found my maiden name. I still have my original SSN card with my maiden name on it.

Can I use it? Or do I still have to go to the Social Security office to change it? Still, I wasn`t prepared for the job involved in a name change before the divorce, the questions I had to answer, and the exams I underwent. I was already stressed and emotionally exhausted by interpersonal issues and reconciliation efforts. But I was determined. It may not be that unusual, otherwise they wouldn`t have a complete adult name change kit issued by the Judicial District Mutual Aid Centre! Do I need my ex`s signature to take back my maiden name? Will everything be automatically updated with my maiden name after the divorce? Brette: It depends on what he says. If it indicates that your name has been changed, then your maiden name is technically the one you are using. If this gives you the opportunity or the right to change your name, you can use both. How can I handle the name change if I divorced and remarried the same year? Once you have reinstated a court order with your maiden/previous name, you will need to have your name changed at the Social Security Bureau and the Department of Road Safety and Motor Vehicles. Another reason why people change their name before divorce is that it helps them restore their own identity. Retrieving your last name allows you to take the first step to become yourself again by freeing yourself from the use of your spouse`s last name. Brette`s response: Call the court clerk and explain what happened. It looks like it was an oversight when your divorce was finalized. It should be corrected.

Brette`s answer: You can, but if you want to have it legally changed on things like your driver`s license, you`ll have to legally change your name, which involves a court case or divorce decree.