Five reasons a person would want to get a new identity, here is a list of the most reasons.
1. Family
Single mothers want their children’s last names to be the same as theirs for educational purposes.
The desire of married couples is for their entire family to have the same surname.
Occasionally, a person wants to pay tribute to a significant figure in their life.
A person’s legal name may be something they despise because of terrible childhood memories.
Some people wish to resurrect a cherished family name and thus the new identity.
2. Identification uniformity – ACTIVE IDENTIFICATION
Real ID/Passport – Name and ID must be uniform and compliant for the US and international air travel as well as entry to Secure Federal Areas within the US.
Have identification to claim Social Security or a Pension.
You must prove your legal name and have it match your Social Security number in order to receive or renew your driver’s license.
Be able to prove your Legal Name as the one you use while applying for a job (and getting paid).
If you inherit money or assets, you’ll need to show that you’re the legally authorized inheritor and that you’re able to deposit the funds or change the title.
3. Make it easier to understand
Hard-to-pronounce or-to-spell names can be eliminated with a name change.
People get bored of having to explain or write long or intricate names.
Many people change their names over time, which can present issues with identification and official documents.
With the names of their children, a single parent may have issues getting into school or getting medical help.
It’s easier and quicker to buy products, register for school and other activities, travel, account for transactions, and access accounts when all of your identification matches.
4. Promotional materials
Entertainers frequently take on a stage name and eventually seek to make it legitimate.
Businessmen and women who have been known by a name that is appropriate for their profession wish to make it official. People who are just starting out in their careers may want a name that they believe would help them stand out in their area.
Divorced people seek to reclaim their pre-marriage names or adopt a new moniker that better reflects their outlook on life.
People seek to change their names to honor someone important or to get rid of a negative name.
5. Spirituality, religion, and aspiration
Become the Person You Desire
Adults, for themselves or their children, frequently seek to change one or more names to better reflect their ideas.
Some people choose a name in order to pursue a career, a personal ambition, or their beliefs, and then desire to legally possess that name in the future.
People who turn a new page in their lives frequently seek a new name to match their new path and a new identity.
Before legally changing your name in the United States, here are seven things you should know.
For a variety of reasons, people legally change their first, middle, and last names: People may change their names as a result of major life changes such as marriage, divorce, or gender reassignment, or they may just dislike their birth name.
“The most important thing to remember about any name change is that it is a process, not a one-stop-shop,” explains Anna Phipps, VP of Experience at Hitch Switch, a newlywed name change service. Obtaining a legal document, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court-ordered petition, can allow you to alter your name but will not make it official, according to Phipps. “You won’t be legally recognized under your new name until you’ve applied with the Social Security Administration, the DMV, and other agencies.”
Here are seven things to consider if you’re thinking about having a legal name change.
1. With a few exceptions, you can give yourself any name.
With a few exceptions, you can legally change your birth name to anything you choose if you don’t like it. You can’t call yourself after a celebrity, a trademarked name, a numeric (like 4 or 8), a punctuation mark (like? or! ), or something unpleasant or obscene. You can’t change your name to conduct fraud, escape law enforcement, or avoid paying your bills.
People who are officially changing their name should double-check the spelling and format of their new name, according to Jo-Anne Stayner of I’m a Mrs. Name Change Service. “It may seem self-evident, yet we receive several queries each year from people who need to change their legal name due to a misprint.”
2. Divorce and marriage are the easiest times to change your last name.
Men and women can legally change their last name to their new spouse’s surname, hyphenate their two surnames, or establish a new amalgamation of their surnames in most states (like when actors Alexa Vega and Carlos Pena got married in 2014 and changed both of their last names to Pena Vega).
You won’t require court permission if you intend to change your last name after getting married. Simply write your new surname on your marriage license and submit your marriage certificate (not the license) as verification of your new surname to places like the DMV, your bank, and the Social Security Administration, leading to a new identity.
If you get divorced and want to legally revert to your maiden name, you can typically have the judge do it during the divorce proceedings. After your name change is recorded on your Decree of Dissolution (also known as a Divorce Decree), you can resume using your maiden name.
3. Hiring a lawyer is not necessary.
You don’t need to engage a lawyer to change your name, even if it may seem intimidating to appear in court or fill out legal papers.
It is rather simple to complete a Petition for Name Change. However, if you’re having trouble navigating the name change process on your own, you might want to seek professional assistance. LegalZoom, for example, offers name change packages that include all of the necessary papers for your state.
I’m a Mrs. and HitchSwitch, for example, may make the process of changing your name easier by centralizing all of the necessary forms and procedures. “We save our members time by auto-filling forms, pre-drafting emails, and offering precise contact information and recommendations on how to submit name changes to organizations,” Stayner explains. “Our goal is to streamline and remove the uncertainty from this scary procedure,” says Jake Wolff, founder of HitchSwitch.
4. But be prepared to pay hundreds of dollars.
To submit a name change petition in court in most jurisdictions, you must pay a fee (typically from $150 to $200). Forms must also be notarized, which costs a small sum of money. If you’re getting married, you might want to order extra certified copies of your marriage certificate to use as proof of your new surname.
5. Submit your new name to everyone.
You must inform government organizations, businesses, relatives, and friends of your new name. Notify the Social Security Administration, the IRS, and the DMV (you may need a new driver’s license). Make a note of any identifying documents that need to be updated, such as your passport, and notify banks, credit card providers, utility companies, and mortgage or loan firms of your new name. What else should you be doing? Get new checks, update your medical records, and notify the post office. You should also consider amending any legal documents you have, such as a will or trust.
6. Do not, however, jump the gun.
While notifying individuals of your new name is crucial, doing so too soon may cause logistical issues. “Wait until you have your legal paperwork (court papers, marriage certificate, divorce decree) before you start changing your name broadly—you’ll save a lot of time this way,” Stayner advises.
Waiting can also help you keep your good credit because you don’t want to lose whatever credit history you’ve established under your previous name. Furthermore, notifying the passport office of your new married name can take several weeks, so if you’re planning an international honeymoon, book flights using your maiden name (to match the name in your passport).
Finally, transgender people should proceed with caution when changing their names with their health insurance companies to avoid confusion and assure coverage. A hysterectomy for a legal male, for example, is not covered by insurance.
7. Do your research because state laws vary.
Some states, but not all, require you to go to court to alter your name. For example, under California’s usage approach, you can adopt a new name and start using it consistently. However, because banks, the Social Security Administration, and the Department of Motor Vehicles are all concerned about identity theft, you may still need a court decree to prove your name change. In some states, you must additionally announce your new name in the newspaper. Make sure you’re following your state’s protocol, regardless of where you live (the website of your state government is an excellent place to start). Remember a legal name change is not a new identity.
Starting over with a new identity, anonymous travel, and anonymous living is extremely difficult, make one small mistake in the process and you will fail. When your life and liberty are on the line, trust Amicus Intranational Consulting to deliver a safe, legal, and secure new identity.
