Whether it’s due to marriage, divorce, court orders, or even a personal preference, there are many reasons for a person to make the decision to officially change their legal name. But it goes beyond just changing your name itself. You must alert government agencies of the change so you can still get benefits and have access to government programs. While the process works a bit differently in every state, here are three ways you can start:

  • Update your voter registration: This is important if you want to participate in the electoral process. Submit your changes before your state’s deadline to register to vote. That could be up to 30 days before the election.
  • Change your Social Security card: Alert the Social Security Administration and get a corrected card. This process cannot be done online, but there is no charge for a new card. 

Update your IDs: If you want to travel domestically or internationally, you will need to update your license, passport, and other legal documents. To update your driver’s license, contact your local department of motor vehicles. For your passport, contact or visit the State Department website to get a new one