3. CHANGE YOUR RECORDS
Once your name is changed, you can't forget to tell certain people about it or you may be cornered by angry bill collectors eager to break your knee caps.
Good ones to start with are the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Social Security Administration, because once your new driver's license and social security card are in hand, changing the rest of your records will be easy. You should also send a copy of your court order to the Bureau of Records or Vital Statistics in the state you were born to either amend your birth certificate or get a new one.
Then move on to:
- credit card agencies
- Internal Revenue Service
- utility companies
- your employer
- the post office
- your mother
- passport
- bank
- stocks/bonds/mutual funds
- retirement plans
- real estate
- professional associations
- the Registrar of Voters
- car registration
- house, car and life insurance
- your will
- other people's wills
- your doctor
- your lawyer
- powers of attorney
- trusts
- contracts
- frequent flyer programs
- welfare office
- veteran's administration
- academic institutions (although those still paying back school loans may be tempted not to bother)
Some of these places (such as the Social Security Administration) will insist on seeing documentation. Others will not. Some will just need a phone call, while others will need to see you in person or get it in writing. Documentation helps with your transition between names, so the more documentation you get, the easier the subsequent changes will be.
When sending a letter, be sure to state clearly your new and old name and explain that you want them interchanged. Enclose a copy of your court order to prove you're for real.
Also, do not immediately throw away your old identification. It may be necessary to prove who you once were. Some IDs, like your passport, may carry an A.K.A. ("also known as"), so you're not completely free of your original name.
