Marriage & Name Change

[BettyAnn]

What is the name of your state? Alabama

I got married three months ago and have since been trying to change my name. When I went to the Social Security office, I was told by a clueless clerk that I was legally required to keep my maiden name along with my married name (ie: First Middle Maiden Married) on my SS card. The woman was unable to tell me a reason for this OR point me towards any specific laws. She essentially said, "ummm... probably because of identity theft or something, I don't know."

The same with my driver's license. The response was, "Oh, well if it's on your social security card, then I have to put it on here! Who knows why?" The incompetence of these people is astounding.

I really hate my maiden name and would like to get rid of it. Other people I know (my sister, my mother, friends, etc) have not been required to keep their maiden name, and I have not heard of any change in the law. Could someone please point me in the direction of the law that says I must officially keep my maiden name? Is there anything I can do to have it removed from those documents now (I only agreed to keeping it on there for the sake of getting my documents, which I needed for other things).

I'm a little peeved about the whole situation, particularly because no one has been able to point to a specific law yet, and it seems entirely arbitrary that they forced me to keep my maiden name while not requiring other recently married people I know to do the same. Furthermore, even if it is for "identity theft protection," I don't see why I should not be allowed to make that security decision myself.

Thanks for the help!

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

When I went to the Social Security office, I was told by a clueless clerk that I was legally required to keep my maiden name along with my married name (ie: First Middle Maiden Married) on my SS card.

She was clueless. This is NOT required, based on the Social Security website. I suggest going back and hopefully getting a different clerk. The other option is to fill out the application and mailing it back with the appropriate paperwork.

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/ssa.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=315

Documents for a name change: If you need to change your name on your Social Security card, you must show us a recently issued document as proof of your legal name change. Documents Social Security may accept to prove a legal name change include:

Marriage document;
Divorce decree;
Certificate of Naturalization showing a new name; or
Court order for a name change.
If the document you provide as evidence of a legal name change does not give us enough information to identify you in our records or if you legally changed your name more than two years ago, you must provide Social Security with additional documentation.

Marriage, divorce or annulment: In addition to showing us a legal document proving your marriage, divorce or annulment, you must provide an identity document. That document must show your old name, as well as other identifying information or a recent photograph. (We can accept an expired document as evidence of your old name.)

Documents for a name change: If you need to change your name on your Social Security card, you must show us a recently issued document as proof of your legal name change. Documents Social Security may accept to prove a legal name change include:

Marriage document;
Divorce decree;
Certificate of Naturalization showing a new name; or
Court order for a name change.
If the document you provide as evidence of a legal name change does not give us enough information to identify you in our records or if you legally changed your name more than two years ago, you must provide Social Security with additional documentation.

Marriage, divorce or annulment: In addition to showing us a legal document proving your marriage, divorce or annulment, you must provide an identity document. That document must show your old name, as well as other identifying information or a recent photograph. (We can accept an expired document as evidence of your old name.)

[TheGeekess]

I think you're stuck with your maiden name on the driver's license. I'm looking for the state code pertaining to this, but so far, have only found a blurb on another site:

"Although only Hawaii has laws saying a woman must use her husband's last name, according to Jane Dubcomb, state chair of the Indiana Women's Political Caucus, "There are a few states which require the first two names as they appear on a married woman's birth certificate and the last name which appears on her husband's birth certificate for purposes of a driver's license."

Alabama and Michigan are two of the states that make that requirement. Indiana has no such requirement."
[url]http://members.aol.com/alicebeard/living/stoner.html[/url]

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

I beg to differ on the Michigan license. While I was married, ONLY my married name appeared on the driver's license. And I had one for 18 years.

[TheGeekess]

I couldn't find anything in the Code to indicate that she had to use her maiden name. I asked on of my coworkers whose sister recently married, and she said that her sister didn't have to use her maiden name. It's been over 10 years since my last divorce, so I don't remember if I had to use mine or not. OP's best bet is going to be calling the DPS office in her county. [url]http://www.dps.state.al.us/public/driverlicense/schedules.asp[/url]

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

The OP's question was that the person at SS was telling her she had to use both a maiden and married name. Maybe she mistook the need to bring in info with both the old name and her marriage certificate into something else.

[TheGeekess]

The way I read it OP was concerned with both. Of course, having dealt with the SSA offices here in 'Bama, I'm not surprised with the ensuing goofiness. IIRC, I simply mailed the marriage certificate with a copy of my birth certificate to SSA, and they issued a card with my new name on it. Same process when I got divorced and reverted back to my maiden name.

[BettyAnn]

Thanks for the info everyone! I will try calling the SS office again (not much fun the first time, can't be better now!) to see if I can get someone who actually knows what they're talking about. Unfortunately, it seems that that will be very difficult.

When I went to get my new card, I took pretty much every piece of paperwork I could find which had my name(s) on them, because during the first phone call, no one could tell me what I needed. The SS website was helpful, but I was still worried about ridiculousness after dealing with them.

I needed it quickly because my license was expiring soon so I needed to renew that ASAP (it expired very shortly after I got married). The license folks said I needed the SS card first. The SS people said I needed my license first. It was... interesting. Not only that, but when I actually arrived at the SS office, I was made to fill out several forms before I could even talk to anyone, and then they didn't even take the forms or copy them or anything. BUT I had to have them signed and filled out before anyone would talk to me? I asked about this and they just told me, "I don't know, it's just a thing we do." ??????

So. I will attempt calling them again. If anyone does find or know of any specific law on this, it would be very much appreciated so that I can back up my argument! Since rational thought doesn't seem to be working with these folks, I thought surely legal codes would stand up to their silliness

I know it seems like a lot of work for a silly name, but unfortunately I'm stuck with maiden name which has negative connotations in my small town. If you've ever lived in the rural South, you can probably understand why this is kind of a big deal. My family is wonderful and upstanding, but my mother's first husband was... a less than stellar individual. So I'd love to just scrap that name entirely if I can!