Comments on: I Refuse to Pay Fees to Change My Name!

By: Nina

Nina — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:17:25 +0000

I am completely in alliance with anyone who has ever had a name change. Try being me. I had a legal name change to both my first and last name and now…it’s hell. I have had to actually make a packet so I can send to all the creditors, etc. My banking institution was the easiest to change. I simply had to show them the name changed on my license but the credit card companies…OMG they are the worse. They wanted to charge me $20 dollars to change my name since the change would automatically generate a new card. Even if I didn’t want an updated card, they could not do a name change unless I agreed to pay the $20 dollars. In my opinion, this is pure extortion. What can I do about it? Nothing. Pay the $20 dollars simply to do a name change. The best part is that this card is not even a card I wanted. My college hired Higher One to handle all financial aid funds and wala I get a credit card where the financial aid funds are automatically deposited into this credit card and I also get the privilege of all the headaches involved in dealing with Higher One and their outrageous fees.

By: threadbndr

threadbndr — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:29:50 +0000

I use the hyphenated last name (maiden-married). There are a few things that are still in my maiden name, but since it’s really obvious that it’s part of my current name, I’ve never had an issue with it.

What I DO have an issue with is that different computer systems file my records differently. Some under the first half, some under the second. So I always have to say “I’m not sure where you have me filed. I might be under ‘x’ and I might be under ‘y’.”

By: Festival of Frugality - 162nd Edition

Festival of Frugality - 162nd Edition — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:20:22 +0000

[...] I Refuse to Pay Fees to Change My Name! posted at My Dollar Plan. [...]

By: ColombianCoffee

ColombianCoffee — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 19:13:02 +0000

My solution to skipping the hassle: I never changed my name! I personally just found the whole idea archaic and I just couldn’t picture being Mrs. O all of a sudden after spending a lifetime being me.

By: katy

katy — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:03:59 +0000

Wow, how awful that they put you thru that.

I changed my name when I got married, back when I got divorced (!) and again when I remarried. The hardest parts were social and workwise; I need to remember what my name was in certain years so I know what I was called at different jobs for interviews. Difficult – and moreso cause employers don’t like all the names. Some are jealous that I’ve been married not once but twice when they are never married. And a couple times they are surprised because they expect me to look a certain way based on my name(s). Sigh. Dummies.

OTOH, if you keep your documentation, problems should be minimal. If I had to do it again, I would still change my name.

By: Madison

Madison — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 20:05:35 +0000

Wow! I can’t believe all the trouble people have changing their names!

@ Thankful: A rep from Scottrade saw my article and is trying to see if she can help me get to the bottom of it! I’ll let you know what I hear.

@ Jenny: Great idea on the donation… I had forgotten about that!

By: Slinky

Slinky — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 23:23:20 +0000

This is good to know for when I change my name. I actually don’t speak with my dad or his family, so it’s really awkward when people say, “oh, you’re last name is X? Do you know so-and-so X?”

By: Frannie

Frannie — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:59:27 +0000

Great Information… Luckily I had no problems with any of this since I was “fresh off the farm” when Josh and I were married. Since we were married 25 days after I graduated college the only things I had to change were SS, drivers license, insurance… Luckily, I had no debt, but no “real” investments either. I will have to say though, I did not have to pay any fees to change my name on the mentioned items above.

By: Erin

Erin — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:40:05 +0000

There’s a simple solution – don’t change your name. I never did, and I haven’t had any problems. Occasionally people call me Mrs. R instead of Ms. H and I don’t usually correct them, it’s not a big deal. And yes, my 2 kids have a different last name than me – still not a big deal. I never had to deal with any of the name change hassles or pay any fees.

By: Andrew L

Andrew L — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:41:01 +0000

I had similar issues but by stock certificates were old custodial accounts. I had to get stock power forms medallion signature guaranteed. This can only be done at banks, and usually it takes a manager. Some banks charge for this, but most do not. Also, in most circumstances all parties who’s name appear on the document need to be present with photo ID on hand.

I ultimately register my stock certificates with Optionsxpress.com.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 03:25:36 +0000

Consider gifting the stock and using it as a tax deduction unless it is a large chunk of your portfolio

Scottrade only needed a copy of my marriage license to change my name there incidentally!

By: Thankful

Thankful — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:06:10 +0000

Oh, and I could not for the life of me get the car loan company to change my name after I married, despite many, many attempts. So I just left it, and once it was paid off, just kept the title in my maiden name. I’m a fan of the split personalities with names too

By: Thankful

Thankful — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:03:44 +0000

Did they say whether they would have charged a fee had you tried to change the name right when you got married? Also, did they say why the name on the certificate needed to be your married name (i.e. to match your social security number for IRS reporting or something like that)? Since your SSN has presumably not changed, this doesn’t seem logical, you are still the same person that bought the stock certificate.

I’m interested to see what input other commenters have, one of my investment accounts and several CDs are still in my maiden name (although my passport is still in my maiden name, so I do have ID that could cover that). Did you try using your birth certificate/marriage certificate/license combo? It seems weird that they will charge in this case and not let you sell them with that documentation. My father passed away before I was married, and in all his will and trust documents name me by my maiden name. Since the trust documents are now all irrevocable, there is no way I could change my name on them. I haven’t had any problems with redeeming shares from that pool of investments.

By: Stacey

Stacey — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:01:57 +0000

Isn’t it awful? I had the same problems – we would fill out the paperwork correctly to change an account, and they wouldn’t update it to my married name. My mortgage is STILL in my maiden name, after sending them a copy of my marriage certificate and driver’s license TWICE.

We’re hopefully refinancing the mortgage this month, so we’ll see then if it’s a problem or not. At least we kept copies of our correspondence – it’s not our fault. We followed their proceedures twice, and just gave up.

Good luck! I write under my maiden name, but changed my name legally, so I understand completely. It’s not that confusing, but people just can’t wrap their minds around the split personalities.

By: Susan

Susan — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:31:32 +0000

I agree, the whole name thing is a huge hassle. I never legally changed my name, never really felt a need to considering that any person can use any name they chose (except for illegal purposes, of course). My SS still uses my maiden name. My drivers license now carries both names (they just wanted to see my marriage certificate). Most of my bank/investment/legal stuff is in both names or just my maiden name.

The WORST was the time a cop pulled me over for a busted tail light. Auto registration was in my married name – drivers license & insurance at the time was in my maiden name. What a nightmare – Mr. Cop decided he was qualified to give legal advice and insisted I MUST change everything to match or I could be arrested should he ever pull me over again. Huh?!