The 8 Best Name Change Services
Which Name Change Service is the Best?
Changing your name in the United States is an important decision that many people make for various reasons. Whether it's to express your true identity, leave behind a difficult past or walk with joy into a future with a spouse, honor your cultural heritage, or adapt to new circumstances, the process involves legal and administrative steps that can be daunting.
The specifics may differ depending on the state, but generally, you'll need to file a petition with the appropriate court and pay some fees. Some states may require you to attend a court hearing. If so, at the hearing, you'll explain why you want to change your name. If the court approves your request, they'll issue a legal name change order, which serves as the basis for updating your identification documents and notifying relevant institutions.
Wednesday, December 4th
2024 Name Change Service Reviews
LegalZoom
LegalZoom is a highly-rated name change service that can help you with the entire process of changing your name, even if it's not due to marriage or divorce. They offer packages for adults and minors, starting at $139, which include customized name change documents, instructions for filing with the court, a checklist of institutions to notify, and a thorough review of your documents. With lifetime customer support and a satisfaction guarantee, LegalZoom ensures your name change goes smoothly. While it may be excessive for simple marriage-related name changes, LegalZoom is still our first-place choice - especially for more complex situations.
NewlyNamed
NewlyNamed, a newer name change service, offers a user-friendly experience with features like auto-filled applications, online document access, step-by-step instructions, and responsive customer support. While they specialize in name changes due to marriage or divorce, this platform recently added support for court-ordered name changes as well. With a comprehensive list of institutions to notify, affordable pricing, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee, NewlyNamed remains an excellent option for name change services.
Easy Name Change
Easy Name Change aims to simplify the often time-consuming process of changing your name into just 15 minutes. They offer two name change kits, one for self-printing at $39 and another for printed and shipped documents at $79. While their focus is primarily on name changes due to marriage or divorce, their kit is suitable for all name change reasons. The service has an "A+" BBB rating, mostly positive reviews from Trustpilot users, and a 60-day refund policy with some restrictions. While limited feedback from US-based clients prevents a higher ranking in our evaluation, we still give Easy Name Change a tentative thumbs-up.
Miss Now Mrs
Miss Now Mrs, an established name change service for brides, offers an affordable and convenient solution with over a decade of experience. Their unique platform allows you to scan your driver's license and your husband's into their app, answer 15 questions, and complete the process easily. They offer two pricing options: $39.95 for a DIY package or $69.95 for a comprehensive plan with pre-printed envelopes and prepaid postage. While the service is limited to new brides changing their last name, Miss Now Mrs usually receives positive feedback for its streamlined process and convenience. It's a service worth considering for most women looking to change their name after marriage.
HitchSwitch
HitchSwitch is a name change service that has been around since 2013. They offer three packages, starting at $39, which provide access to the necessary forms for changing your name. The higher-tier packages offer additional features such as pre-stamped envelopes, email support, and a personal name change concierge. However, HitchSwitch's reputation has been tarnished more recently by complaints about poor customer service and questionable value for the price. Considering other higher-ranking competitors first might be a wiser choice to make sure that your name change experience goes smoothly and that you get the most for your money.
Name Change Kit
Name Change Kit, a part of the KitBiz family, has been assisting people with name changes for over 20 years. While their services may not be as technologically advanced as some competitors, they offer different packages to accommodate various name change circumstances, such as marriage, divorce, or court orders. The prices range from $18.95 to $79.95, and they have an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau. However, Name Change Kit requires you to fill out forms by hand and lacks widespread recognition and customer feedback. Although they provide the necessary forms, other services offer more advanced features for convenience. Check out our higher-ranked options before you go with Name Change Kit.
Find Legal Forms
Find Legal Forms has been providing attorney-prepared legal documents for over 20 years, guaranteeing their validity in all 50 states. Their name change service offers forms for various situations, with pricing ranging from $12.95 to $19.95, and giving you the ability to sign electronically. Although they have an "A+" BBB rating, there is limited customer feedback, and their user support is minimal. While Find Legal forms is certainly a budget-friendly name change option, there are more advanced and user-friendly alternatives to consider for a smoother experience.
US Legal Forms
US Legal Forms has been around since 1997 and claims to be the top online publisher of state-specific legal documents in the US. They offer a subscription-based name change service starting at $8/month (billed annually), giving you access to over 85,000 additional legal forms. However, we noticed some issues with typos on their website and their BBB rating has been downgraded due to complaints about canceling subscriptions and getting refunds. While US Legal Forms has some surprisingly positive reviews on Trustpilot, there are better options out there with more reliable reputations.
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Of course, if your name is changing because you're getting married, your license/certificate stands in place of a court order with respect to documentation. Once you have the name change order (or your marriage/divorce is official), it's time to update your official documents.
You'll need to get a new Social Security card, driver's license or state ID, passport, and other identification papers. Don't forget to change your name on bank accounts, credit cards, utility bills, and insurance policies too. It's also important to inform your employer, school, healthcare providers, and anyone else who needs to know about the change.
Are you exhausted just thinking about it? Fortunately, name change services can make this whole process much easier by providing guidance throughout the journey. With their expertise, you can save time and make sure you've completed all the necessary steps accurately. In many cases, you can even submit all of your information online and with one click, the name change service sends a request to hundreds (or thousands) of financial institutions and businesses in their database to update your record with your new name.
Which name change service is right for you? Many of them are similar, but here are some key characteristics that will help you make the choice:
- Kind of name changes available. Some services only focus on marriage-related switches, while others can accommodate court-ordered name changes (adoption, gender identity, and so on).
- Type of service offered. Are you looking for help getting a court-ordered name change? Most services don't specialize in that: they assume you've already got the documentation and you're just updating all of the necessary governmental offices, banks, and so on. Make sure you choose a name change service that offers the help you actually need.
- Fees. What will you pay for the service? Is it a one-time fee or is it subscription-based?
- Reputation. What do previous clients say about the name change service you're considering? Did they get the job done with no hassle? Was it worth the money? Has the Better Business Bureau rated the service?
Whatever your reason may be for changing your name, there's no need for it to be complicated - or expensive - to get it done. Top Consumer Reviews has made it simple and straightforward by reviewing the best (and the worst) name change services available today.
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