Last name and property

[Indy&Benji 0]

Hi, if anyone could give me advice on this matter I would really appreciate it. Well, I am planning to add my husband's last name when I file for removing conditional status, which is still be later on the beginning of June 2011. Right now I still have my maiden name. The question is if next year we are planning to buy a house and a car, that we are going to put my name on it as well, can we just put my married name already? I mean, I hope this will not be a problem or affect anything with tax or anything. I know that when we are filing for tax return I will still use my maiden name since it has to be based on the name on SSN. But how about buying property? will it have any effect? Thank you for anyone answering this, have a good day!

[me&me 0]

Hi, if anyone could give me advice on this matter I would really appreciate it. Well, I am planning to add my husband's last name when I file for removing conditional status, which is still be later on the beginning of June 2011. Right now I still have my maiden name. The question is if next year we are planning to buy a house and a car, that we are going to put my name on it as well, can we just put my married name already? I mean, I hope this will not be a problem or affect anything with tax or anything. I know that when we are filing for tax return I will still use my maiden name since it has to be based on the name on SSN. But how about buying property? will it have any effect? Thank you for anyone answering this, have a good day!

You need a legal name change document to use your husband's last name if your marriage certificate doesn't state that. To obtain it you need to go to the court and do the legal name change. And that shouldn't be a problem down the line with either USCIS or buying properties together, since you will have a legal document which showing both your names before and after marriage.

Good luck.

Edited June 4, 2010 by me&me

[me&me 0]

After you obtain your legal name change document, don't forget to update and apply for a new social security card with your new name. SSN is your real ID in the US, as the A# is your real ID to USCIS. Keep your record updated with them and you wouldn't have any issues down the line with IRS or any other authorities.

[Abhay 15]

When you file for I751, they ask in the form if you have used any other names before. In there you can state your maiden name. So even if you buy a house/car with your maiden name you can still use those documents.

[Indy&Benji 0]

After you obtain your legal name change document, don't forget to update and apply for a new social security card with your new name. SSN is your real ID in the US, as the A# is your real ID to USCIS. Keep your record updated with them and you wouldn't have any issues down the line with IRS or any other authorities.

Thank you me&me for the answer, but I thought to add last name in my SSN I have to change my maiden name to married name in my permanent resident card first. I did change my last name in my passport already, but for SSN the condition to change the name is after I change my last name with USCIS, which I am going to do when I file for removing conditional status. Cause if I did it now it is going to cost me around $350, which I dont want. So, the case is that I want to buy property and then put my married name, and then when I file for removing conditional status I will change my name on my permanent resident card then go to SSN to change my name on it. What do you think? will it be okay?

[Indy&Benji 0]

When you file for I751, they ask in the form if you have used any other names before. In there you can state your maiden name. So even if you buy a house/car with your maiden name you can still use those documents.

Thank you Abhay, wow you had a fast process of lifting the conditional status ? congrats

[me&me 0]

Thank you me&me for the answer, but I thought to add last name in my SSN I have to change my maiden name to married name in my permanent resident card first. I did change my last name in my passport already, but for SSN the condition to change the name is after I change my last name with USCIS, which I am going to do when I file for removing conditional status. Cause if I did it now it is going to cost me around $350, which I dont want. So, the case is that I want to buy property and then put my married name, and then when I file for removing conditional status I will change my name on my permanent resident card then go to SSN to change my name on it. What do you think? will it be okay?

Regarding the Social Security Service, here is the answer from their web site, http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10002.html

If you need to change your name on your Social Security card, you must show us a recently issued document as proof of your legal name change. Documents Social Security may accept to prove a legal name change include:

Marriage document;

Divorce decree;

Certificate of Naturalization showing a new name; or

Court order for a name change. .

If the document you provide as evidence of a legal name change does not give us enough information to identify you in our records or if you legally changed your name more than two years ago, you must provide Social Security with additional documentation.

Marriage, divorce or annulment: In addition to showing us a legal document proving your marriage, divorce or annulment, you must provide an identity document. That document must show your old name, as well as other identifying information or a recent photograph. (We can accept an expired document as evidence of your old name.)

As far as the property, as long as you have your passport with your husband's name, and you have what to prove that the 2 names belong to you then you are GOOD TO GO, it shouldn't be an issue.

Edited June 5, 2010 by me&me

[me&me 0]

And as the other member who replied to your post earlier, in I-751 they ask for your name and to list other names you have used. And for N-400 application, they ask for your Legal Name and then your name as it appears on your GC, and then any other names you have used.

BTW through the Naturalization process they address you with your Legal name, even if it was different from your GC name (maiden name).

[AandLKC 1]

i have a count document changing the last name form my madden name to my husbands.

Couple of thing to remember 

If you are taking your husbands LAST name as your LAST name, then you don’t need a court document. All you need is your marriage license, and you should be able to change it on Drivers License, social security and other department will accept your marriage certificate as proof for the change.

If you are taking any name other that your husbands LAST name, then you need a court document showing a legal change of name. Its not a simple document to get… there are some formalities that you need to go through… fist you need to file a petition in the local court for name change … then you need to provide proof that you inform all your debitors( whomever you borrow money from) about your legal name change… then you need to publish your name change in the local news paper for a month… if their aren’t any complaints against you name change then you appear before a judge and he/she will approve the name change .

Of course these rules are different form county to county … this is what I had to go thorough for my name change. I haven’t change the name on ss, divers license …etc because the SS administration told be that it be better if I change the name on the green card first… I have just filed I-751 and will see how things go

[Indy&Benji 0]

i have a count document changing the last name form my madden name to my husbands.

Couple of thing to remember 

If you are taking your husbands LAST name as your LAST name, then you don’t need a court document. All you need is your marriage license, and you should be able to change it on Drivers License, social security and other department will accept your marriage certificate as proof for the change.

If you are taking any name other that your husbands LAST name, then you need a court document showing a legal change of name. Its not a simple document to get… there are some formalities that you need to go through… fist you need to file a petition in the local court for name change … then you need to provide proof that you inform all your debitors( whomever you borrow money from) about your legal name change… then you need to publish your name change in the local news paper for a month… if their aren’t any complaints against you name change then you appear before a judge and he/she will approve the name change .

Of course these rules are different form county to county … this is what I had to go thorough for my name change. I haven’t change the name on ss, divers license …etc because the SS administration told be that it be better if I change the name on the green card first… I have just filed I-751 and will see how things go

Hi, thank you for the response I just want to take my husband's last name. Actually I was planning like you are doing now. But then next year before filing my I-751 me and my husband are planning to buy a house, that is why I was thinking if I better change my name now on the SSN. What do you suggest about that?