There are many things to take care of when you are getting a divorce, and one important thing that many people should not skip over is the process of changing their name. Whether you took your partner’s last name or decided to hyphenate, you should change that when your marriage ends. A Morton divorce lawyer from our firm can help you with that.
Can You Change Your Name in Illinois?
The easiest way to change your name after a divorce is to have it changed by court order when your marriage is ended. A divorce judgment can give you permission to choose something else. If for whatever reason it does not, then you do need to submit a “Request for Name Change” to the state court in your county.
Usually, this change requires publication. This means that you have to post something in a local paper about your new title. This is a bit antiquated, but there are a few reasons why the state still requires it. Fortunately, it should not be a necessity if your divorce is the reason for making this change. You are still going to have to tell some people about this though, and the sooner you start doing that the easier it can be to avoid certain headaches.
What Should You Do After You Change Your Name?
Changing your name is a big deal, even if you are just going back to your maiden name. There are many people and companies that you’ll probably have to contact in order to ensure that you do not lose access to anything important. You may need to contact:
- Banks and financial institutions where you have accounts
- State and federal agencies
- The DMV
- The post office
- Insurance companies
- Utility companies
- Professional licensing agencies
Talking to your employer is a good idea too. You may want to change your email address or get new business cards. Making sure that payroll has your correct info is also smart.
Is There Anything Else I Need to Know?
Changing your name after a divorce should be a relatively simple process, but there are still some important things that you should know. We often tell clients that:
- You may be able to modify a divorce judgment if it does not change your name
- You can actually change your name to anything that you want, provided that it meets state rules
- You cannot make this change with the intent to defraud or escape debts
- You cannot mislead people with your choice, i.e. picking the exact name as a famous person
Meet With Our Legal Team
If you are filing for divorce, you should have an experienced attorney who is ready to advocate for you. Contact Butler, Giraudo & Meister, P.C. to schedule an appointment with our team. We will help you ensure that nothing gets overlooked during your divorce.
