Name change and SS card

[carlypop]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MA

Hi. My child (soon to be 18) is preparing to legally change his name, which means he will need to get a replacement social security card. The problem is that soon after birth, his info was sent to SSA with my last name (unmarried). Two months later, I got his birth certificate amended with his father's last name, but I never corrected the ss card. So right now, the birth certificate and ss card do not match. Do I need to correct the first change before going through this upcoming legal change? Is it too complicated to basically do two changes at the same time? He has never used the name SSA currently has, and the only thing I would have with that name on it are 18-year-old birth records. Would those suffice as identifying documents?

 

[Zigner]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MA

Hi. My child (soon to be 18) is preparing to legally change his name, which means he will need to get a replacement social security card. The problem is that soon after birth, his info was sent to SSA with my last name (unmarried). Two months later, I got his birth certificate amended with his father's last name, but I never corrected the ss card. So right now, the birth certificate and ss card do not match. Do I need to correct the first change before going through this upcoming legal change? Is it too complicated to basically do two changes at the same time? He has never used the name SSA currently has, and the only thing I would have with that name on it are 18-year-old birth records. Would those suffice as identifying documents?

This is a question better asked of your local Social Security office.

 

[FlyingRon]

Process here: https://faq.ssa.gov/link/portal/34011/34019/article/3749/how-do-i-change-or-correct-my-name-on-my-social-security-number-card[/url]

Short answer: take the name change court order to the SS office and show it to them.

 

[carlypop]

Process here: https://faq.ssa.gov/link/portal/34011/34019/article/3749/how-do-i-change-or-correct-my-name-on-my-social-security-number-card[/url]

Short answer: take the name change court order to the SS office and show it to them.[/QUOTE]

There is no court order for the first change. We simply went and signed the paternity acknowledgment and got an amended birth certificate. I have no documentation for that (unless it's possible to get a copy of the AOP).

Thank you both. I'll call SSA to determine whether this will be a one-step or two-step process.

 

[FlyingRon]

Just bring all the documentation and the identification to the SS office. Name change orders and marriage certificates could be done through the mail. Other issues, have to be done in person.

 

[carlypop]

Just bring all the documentation and the identification to the SS office. Name change orders and marriage certificates could be done through the mail. Other issues, have to be done in person.

The woman at the office just kept repeating to "bring whatever documentation you have that shows the legal name change." I'm not sure if I'm getting across that the name is being corrected from ABC to ABD, and THEN changed to EFG or not, but I'll just bring every piece of paper with me with each of the names and try to do it all at once. The one thing that may be difficult is finding documentation for a name change that happened over 4 years ago (as stipulated in the name change instructions), since I don't know if I have anything still. It would only be birth records, since that name was never used for anything except my tax returns.

Thanks again.

 

[FlyingRon]

I'd wait until you have the new order. If you want to make sure that things go smoothly, have the order list ALL the former names he was known by.

 

[carlypop]

I'd wait until you have the new order. If you want to make sure that things go smoothly, have the order list ALL the former names he was known by.

There's a spot on the petition to indicate whether the name was changed previously that I was going to fill in. Does that get added to the order or just used for the background check?