As a part of a divorce, the wife can ask for her name to be changed back to her maiden name. However, if you did not have your name changed in a previous divorce – or for some other reason you want your name changed we can help. Just give us a call at 770-609-1247 to speak with an attorney.

Once you have applied for a name change and received a court order granting your name change – your name is officially changed. But getting a court order changing your name is not the last step in the process. After your name has been changed and you have a copy of the court order you may need to do the following:

Notify the Social Security Office of your name change. Locate a social security office near you bring a copy of the court order granting your name change as well as a valid ID such as your driver’s license. There should be no charge to obtain a new social security card with your changed name on it.

Update your Georgia Driver’s License. You should visit the Department of Driver Services and obtain a new license. You will need to present a copy of the court order granting your name change. If you are also changing your address, you’ll need to provide proof of residency (such as a utility bill). Be prepared to have your photo taken again for your new driver’s license. Depending on when your license was last renewed, you may have to pay a fee. Due to recent changes in the law governing obtaining and renewing Georgia Driver’s Licenses, we recommend check with the Department of Driver Services (http://www.dds.ga.gov/) regarding fees and other forms of identification that may be required.

Update your passport. If you have obtained a passport within the last year, you can update your passport information for free. Refer to the U.S. Department of State website (http://travel.state.gov/) to find out which form you’ll need to update your passport with your name change.

After you have changed your name on all of your legal documents and forms of identification (ID), contact your credit card providers, banks, subscriptions and service providers to update with your changed name. Many of them will be able to make the changes over the phone. Some banks and service providers may require that you appear at your local branch and provide copies of your new ID(s) and a copy of the court order changing your name.