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Sunday, May 18th
LegalShield offers a unique approach to name change services through a monthly legal membership rather than a one-time package. Founded in 1999, the company has served over 4 million individuals and 140,000 businesses, providing access to legal advice at a lower cost than traditional attorneys. Plans start at $26.95/month (billed annually) or $29.95 month-to-month, covering legal guidance for getting name changes approved - though not assistance with filling out forms letting others know of the change. While LegalShield holds an "A+” BBB rating and boasts over 6,000 five-star reviews, its refund policy is vague, and customer service can be hit-or-miss. If you need legal help from the start of the name change process, LegalShield is a solid option, but since it doesn't handle post-approval paperwork like other name change platforms, we give it a middle-of-the-road rating.
Find Legal Forms is the lowest-rated name change service on our list, offering cheap, downloadable forms but little else. With no interactive guidance, minimal customer support, and an outdated DIY approach, it leaves users to navigate the process alone. Despite claiming to serve millions, it has almost no reviews, and its BBB rating has dropped to a "B-” due to unresolved complaints. While Find Legal Forms is one of the most affordable name change services, the lack of reliability and hard-to-reach customer service make it a platform we'd avoid.
Every year, thousands of people legally change their names. Marriage and divorce are still the most common reasons, but more people are also changing their names as part of gender transition, and adoption-related name changes happen all the time. The exact number of name changes each year can be hard to track since not all states report them, but one thing is clear: it's becoming more common as people embrace life changes and make their names match their identities.
Changing your name is a big deal, but it's something plenty of people do every year in all of those situations. Whatever your reason may be, the process can feel like a lot to handle. That's where name change services come in - they help you cut through the paperwork and make sure everything gets updated without the hassle.
One important thing to know is that most name change services don't actually grant you a legal name change. You need to have the right legal documents first, like a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order. Once you have that, the real work begins - updating your name everywhere it matters. That means letting the Social Security Administration know, getting a new driver's license or state ID, updating your bank and credit card info, and making sure your employer, insurance company, and other accounts all reflect your new name.
A name change service takes the headache out of this process. Instead of figuring it all out on your own, they provide the right forms, pre-fill your info where possible, and guide you through every step. Some even handle submitting certain documents for you, saving you time and avoiding mistakes. Instead of spending hours on government websites or waiting on hold, you can just follow their process and get everything done smoothly.
If you're thinking about using a name change service, you might get bogged down by all of the options out there. Which one is right for you? Here are some things to consider:
Changing your name is a fresh start, but dealing with the paperwork doesn't have to be a pain: just use one of today's most popular name change services, researched and ranked by the experts at Top Consumer Reviews. These services can take care of the details so you can focus on confidently moving forward with your new name!
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