There are various reasons why people might decide to change their legal name. Their brand name for investors and prestige is one reason. Another reason might be to have a more recognizable name if the person is seeking fame. There are various things to understand when deciding to change your name, though. This article explains the costs and multiple factors that you should consider. It is essential to consider what's expected of you before legally changing your name.
What Does Legally Changing Your Name Entail?
People are able to change their middle name, first name, or even their last name. Marriage, divorce, gender reassignment, and even prestige are some of the primary reasons why people tend to go to government officials to change their official names.
Changing your name entails submission of details and applications to Social Security or even the DMV. This process can be long and arduous, but if it's something you really want to do, you have to take it seriously.
Average Cost of Changing Your Name
In the name change process, there must be the provision of the court order, which is the most significant expense. It's usually not a must to have a lawyer to obtain a court order, but the filing fees and court fees can range from $150-$500. These fees vary with the country or state you belong to, so it's essential to check your location's website to determine these costs. Filing fees are approximately $20 for each document.
Cost Breakdown for the Name Changing Process
It is important to remember to change your name on your driver's license, state ID, passport, birth certificate, bank accounts, credit cards, mortgages, social security card, rewards programs, and voter registration. There are charges incurred in changing names on bank accounts (approximately $10), and for the passport it's about $10.
Note that the costs will vary by state for the driver's license renewal, bank accounts, passports, and birth certificates.
Factors Affecting Name Changing Costs
The reason for changing your name is the primary factor that will affect the cost, since the state or country cannot legally change the name of a person who aims to commit fraud. Also, it's not possible to change your name to a number (for instance, four or eight). Countries' laws do not allow such names, hence limiting the name change process.
Divorce also causes name change, since in most cases after marriage, a woman will have taken her husband's last name. After a divorce is finalized, she may choose to change her name back. Disliking one's birth name also inspires people to seek a new name. The person has to explain the reasons for the dislike, and if parents or guardians are alive, they have to agree for the new name change.
Additional Costs Associated with Name Changing
The required documents also vary with the state or country. In some countries, you can obtain various forms from the court without any charges. Some of the documents needed include an order for the name change, the petition for name change, and an affidavit. There is an additional fee of up to $20 for each official copy requested.
Conclusion
In conclusion, changing your name serves as a significant turning point. You should understand your reason for the change and then understand the process to follow. The costs above are just estimations for the price of legally changing your name, but you can expect to pay around a few hundred dollars.
