Using Your Maiden Name

If you changed your name at the time of your marriage and you want to return to using your maiden name, you are usually free to do so. It is generally unnecessary to go to court to get the name change, but procedures vary widely from state to state. In some states, you have the option of changing your name as part of your divorce. In others you simply need to notify government agencies that have records of you name, including the IRS and your state taxing authorities; the Social Security Administration; the post office; your driver’s license bureau; and the companies you have relationships with, including your bank, credit card companies, and other lenders. It can be useful to have the divorce decree state that you will resume your unmarried name, but generally it is not necessary to do so to have a valid name change.