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Member since 1/27/04
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Posted on: 2/13/09 10:33 AM ET
I'm thinking of changing my name (only the spelling!) legally because it is constantly misspelled and because I feel the "normal" spelling suits me better. I don't know if it is a lot of trouble or very expensive to do so I just wanted to get some input if anyone has done this before.

FYI- I've wanted to do this since I was a teenager and my mother has no problems with this because it is only the spelling.
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Member since 2/17/03
Posts: 1709
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Posted on: 2/13/09 10:47 AM ET
In reply to runnerchicki
Well - I've only changed my name for a marriage but - here are some of the things I can think of that will need to be changed:
1. Credit cards
2. Driver's License
3. Insurances
4. Wills
5. Power of Attorney documents
6. Passport
7. I think doctor's records need to match your new name for insurance purposes.
8. Don't know how old you are but if you are attending any school those records will have to change also.

I'm sure there is more and someone else will pop up with other information.


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Member since 4/19/04
Posts: 927
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Posted on: 2/13/09 10:51 AM ET
I did that in 1995 after a divorce, when I had no desire to keep his name or return to my maiden name. In WA state, back then, it cost $100 at a court hearing, and in my little tiny town I had all the necessary official paperwork done (SS card, drivers license, bank records, insurance, even my library card) in one morning.
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Member since 4/8/02
Posts: 5095
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Posted on: 2/13/09 10:55 AM ET
In reply to Mary Stiefer
Social Security Card!!!

I've wanted to do this and just never have. My legal name is Margaret but I have always, always gone by Peggy. Anything with the federal government or medical has to be "Margaret".

My husband (attorney) did the paperwork one time but I just never followed through.
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Member since 2/27/07
Posts: 864
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Posted on: 2/13/09 11:18 AM ET
In reply to runnerchicki
My daughter considered it but never went through with it. Contact your county courthouse for the paperwork and fill it out and file. Shouldn't be more than a few hundred dollars, probably less than that, I don't remember. The paperwork looked pretty straightforward. They will probably do a background check on you too. Not too complicated and probably not too time consuming.
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Carol - * I always have more time to sew *
Babylock Ellageo, Viking Mega Quilter, Janome MC6600P, Babylock Evolve Serger, Janome FM 725
  
Member since 3/28/08
Posts: 2333
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Posted on: 2/13/09 11:37 AM ET
I started the process and dropped it once. I use a different name to publish under and it is a hassle sometimes trying to explain. I lived in ID at the time, where you have to advertise your intent to change your name for 90 days before the hearing, and I ended up moving before my hearing so I just never got around to it.

Now that I am going to be married I will just wait until then and hyphenate.
  
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Posted on: 2/13/09 12:56 PM ET
In reply to runnerchicki
Name change in Colorado

I just googled "legal name change in Colorado" and this was the first of many sites that showed up. Appears you can do it yourself for $40. The biggest hassle would be all the other accounts from SS to banks to credit cards etc that require the name change and don't forget work so your pay check/W-2 are in order.

A x-stitching friend did this a few years back and it was all pretty easy. She did not care for her first name and made a minor change to the spelling which changed the pronunciation.

PS In the 1950s my parents changed their last name in support of my dad's younger brother who felt that his very Polish last name might impede his climb with a major national ins firm. About 8 years later when he died, my Mom had no difficulties with SS, past employment benefits or insurances purchased prior to the name change. There were a couple small policies that just asked for certified copies of the name change papers.
-- Edited on 2/13/09 1:01 PM --
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Member since 10/26/06
Posts: 1043
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Posted on: 2/13/09 1:42 PM ET
I changed my name when I got married and got bored halfway through. I changed my name on my social security card, my driver's license, and my nursing license. And I think it also got changed at most of my doctors' offices. But I never got around to doing my credit cards or my passport, or my car loan or the mortgage, or my student loans, or the bills that still have my maiden name on them.

I kept my middle and maiden names, so I have 4 names, which makes it confusing. My next credit report should be interesting! A lot of people assume it's hyphenated when it actually isn't. I don't really care; my husband's last name is a pain in the @$$ anyway. Not phonetic with lots of silent letters. I kind of wish I'd never changed it. I don't think of myself as Sarah W; my husband has me in his cell phone that way and when I saw it, my first thought was, "He doesn't have any cousins named Sarah...who the heck is that?" I still think of myself as Sarah V; the W is an afterthought. And NOBODY is allowed to call me "Mrs. W" -- that's my crazy MIL, thank you very much!

Probably it has a lot to do with the fact that I adore my family, and they're one of the most important things in my life. If someone needs something, the rest of us drop everything and get in the car, on a plane, whatever. That's what makes me a V. I don't feel that way about my husband's family (and I kind of resent having to split my time between my family and his when we go home), so I don't really consider myself a W.

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Member since 9/29/05
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Posted on: 2/13/09 1:44 PM ET
Cost me $75 at District Court to fill out a form and have the judge sign it.

DH changed his first name to what everyone calls him (from what he was born with) at the same time. $75.

All the other notifications of name change is incidental.
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Member since 1/4/08
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Posted on: 2/13/09 1:59 PM ET
In reply to runnerchicki
Everything goes back to your social security number, so if you miss notifying someone, it will eventually catch up with you.

The state of Florida insisted on using my maiden name on my driver's license when I got married. They no longer do that, and I notified them that I use my first, middle, and married names on all my legal documents. However, it is still there even if my present license shows my middle name. I always know when someone has obtained a driver's license list for advertising because it will come with the maiden name.

I think on credit reports I have three or four versions of my name, although why, I don't know. We were notified that our mortage company information was compromised and received 2 free years from a credit monitoring service. It was only in DH's name, however. What is scary is that it listed two addresses on one that we had never lived at, and one on a second report. Anyway, if the government want's to locate you, they will, regardless of what name you use.

A minor change such as spelling should not pose any problems. Most people would think they made a mistake typing in your name.
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Yards sewed 2018--301 yards
Goal for 2020 - 400 yards --- Made it --sewed 400.76 yards. I have no idea about how many yards I have in my inventory.
2021 --200.125 yards
2022-- no specific number---Just redo inventory and sew more than 2021



Machines: Designer Diamond, #1+ (2), H Class 100Q, Viking 400, Baby Lock Creative Pro -- Sergers: Viking 936, Babylock Accolade, Babylock Vibrant, Singer Coverstitch
  
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