money sectionmoney sectionTraditionally, a woman changes her last name when she gets married. The Social Security Administration, state Departments of Motor Vehicles and IRS are among the private, state and federal institutions that must be notified when you change your name for legal reasons. Failure to report your name change could delay future social security payments and could impact the goods or services you receive from businesses and institutions who require identify verification to complete transactions.
Some people change names over the course of their lifetime, and because it's not a frequent practice, they may not know the different legal steps to take. Name change laws also vary state to state, so it's important to make sure you meet your state's requirements before beginning the process. Alabama's name change laws are not atypical, but need to be followed when changing your name. The process for Mobile is the same for all cities and counties.
Once you are married, and after you have divorced, changing your last name on all of your official documents is a task that seems daunting at first glance. While it is a big responsibility, it is one that can be managed as long as you know where to go and who to talk to. With a little research, you can get yourself on the right track to changing that last name in a hurry.
