Taking Your Maiden Name Back: Tips on Who to Notify
Many clients ask to have their maiden names restored to them as part of the divorce. In Alaska, this is accomplished in the divorce decree. One of my clients commented to me that she had a lot to do to update legal documents and accounts to reflect her name change. She and another client were kind enough to provide me with a list of what they had to do.
1. Contact DMV to change your driver's license
2. Contact DMV to change the name on the title to any vehicles you own.
3. Contact all of your credit card companies to give them updated information with respect to your last name. Apparently, your credit rating is tied to your social security number and not your name.
4. Contact your telephone company, home utilities, and cell company to give them your new last name.
5. Contact your airlines mileage programs - Some airlines actually needed copies of the decree!
6. Make sure you change your name on all financial accounts, including bank, credit union and investment accounts.
7. If you have cards with stores such as REI or Safeway, you should notify them as well.
8. You should notify all insurance companies including auto insurance, health insurance, disability and life insurance that you have changed your last name.
I suggest that you get at least 3 certified copies of your divorce decree. You should keep one for your own file. You may have to provide proof of the name change so it is a good idea to have a couple of spare certified divorce decrees.
Great list and so helpful! I also wanted to say I really like the way your blog is written - take care!