Officially a Ramsayer...

I spent a large chunk of yesterday changing my name. Judging by the list below, I think I got quite a lot done.

• Change name at Social Security Administration
• Change name at Secretary of State
• Change name with Blue Cross
• Change name with credits cards
• Change name with AAA
• Change name with Insurance Company
• Change name at work (i.e. pay check, e-mail, business cards)
• Change name with State Bar
• Change name with banks
• Change name with utility companies
• Change gmail address

I had no idea how many credit cards I actually have until I had to go through each one of them and change my name. Shame on me. While I only use a few of them, it probably not a good idea to have a bunch of cards sitting on my credit report and not being used.

I thought I'd provide a brief summary of my experiences in changing my name for those of you who have to do it in the near future. So, here's my suggestions and advice:

FIRST, you have to go to the Social Security Administration (SSA) to change your name. The Secretary of State (SOS) will not give you a new driver's license until your information has been changed at SSA. So, your FIRST stop should be the SSA. My first piece of advice with the SSA would be to get an appointment ahead of time. I waited at the SSA for nearly an hour and a half before my number was called. Once I got to the window, the name change literally took 5 minutes. If I had made an appointment, I would have been in and out of there in about 10 minutes max. For the SSA, you need three documents otherwise they will not process your request. 1) Bring your valid drivers license (or US passport) to prove your identity, 2) Bring your CERTIFIED marriage license, and 3) Bring this form filled out: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/online/ss-5.pdf. They filled out a form for me, asked me to attest to it, and then we were done. I got a little print out saying that I'd been there to change my name and would receive my new SS card in 2 weeks.

The remaining name changes can be done in whichever order you please, and this is how I did it:

• SOS - Went in with my current driver's license and certified marriage license. They asked me to fill out a form while I was waiting. It's a good thing I went up there looking relatively cute because I had to take a new picture (and it turned out good so YAY). It cost me $9 for the new license, and I also updated my voter's registration while I was there.
• Credit Cards - All but one of my credit card companies updated my last name over the phone with absolutely no problem whatsoever. They also issued new cards that will be arriving sometime within the next 2 weeks.
• AAA - Changed my name over the phone.
• Bank - Required that I come to the bank IN PERSON with my certified marriage certificate to change my banking records. They also required Ryan to come to the bank and sign off on my name changing on our joint account (kind of a pain in the butt, so that hasn't gotten done yet).
• Gmail - Super easy. Since my new last name isn't in ANY way common, I had absolutely no trouble getting a new address.
• State Bar - Also really easy. The bar has a form online that you can fax in with supporting documentation (http://www.michbar.org/programs/pdfs/namechange.pdf).
• Work - This hasn't been too difficult so far. We're in the process of making me a new e-mail account and transferring all of my current e-mail to that account. Also, changing the paycheck was easy-peasy. Business cards will be ordered once I have my new e-mail address.
• BCBS - Apparently, to change your name thru BCBS (if you get insurance through work) you must have your employer send in the appropriate paperwork. Hopefully that goes through relatively quickly.

The only one I'm concerned about is my medical insurance. I just have a feeling that it's going to somehow get messed up and they'll refuse coverage because the bill came through in my maiden name instead of my married name. We'll see how it goes...hopefully it's not a giant headache :) I have a few more places to change my name -- but the big important ones are done! Woo!