word of warning with name changes

[JanePeterson]

hey yall,

been a while since I posted here, but wanted to offer a bit of advice for anyone doing a name change - BE AWARE THAT YOU MAY LOSE ACCESS TO YOUR CREDIT!!

I completed my name change with my bank pretty soon after I got my decree, but that meant when I went to get a loan, they couldn't pull my credit history from the credit bureaus; apparently, and stupidly, they use your first name as an identifier when you try and access your credit report, so changing a first name will break the system. And good luck getting anyone from the credit agencies on the phone... you have to use their dispute process which takes up to 30 days... and in my case my FFS date is in 21 days! If it weren't for a sympathetic parent who is willing to co-sign, id be totally hosed... despite having good credit and the means to pay, a simple technicality could have cost me my surgery date.

Just some food for thought when you're transition planning - either borrow what you need before hand, or plan on a few months of fighting with the universe to prove you are who you say you are.

cheers!

Jane

[AllieSF]

Great information and warning. Did you also change your name on your Social Security Card too? That way, they should be able to look up your SS number and see the correct name. As the recent GRS surgeries experiences out here in the San Francisco have shown, make sure you also change your name on all of your insurance policies too. Otherwise they will label you as John instead of Jane on your medical records and that little plastic hospital ID bracelet too! Good luck with your surgery. Who is doing it and where, and what are you planning on having done?

[JanePeterson]

I did my update at the SSA this morning - it was pretty simple, just brought my name change decree, my new drivers license, and a letter my doctor gave me - took them about 10 minutes to fill the form out and I was good to go!

[Mirya]

Yes, it helps to get your name and gender updated with the Social Security Administration as soon as possible after your name change. It's probably one of the first things you want to do. Even so, you have to kind of count on your credit being shot for a few months while it gets sorted out with the various credit bureaus. Glad things worked out for you though, Jane.

Don't forget to get your name changed on your vehicle's registration and title. People tend to forget to change their name on those documents.

[Kris Avery]

make sure you also change your name on all of your insurance policies too. Otherwise they will label you as John instead of Jane on your medical records and that little plastic hospital ID bracelet too!

News flash, I DID update everything including insurance but those Devils at CPMC *still* had my dead name right under my legal name. (Bang head)

So, I guess change your name and insurance BEFORE you book surgery...or be prepared for the drama.. I bitched like hell and they made me a new one only 10 minutes before they put me under...I had a smile going down...and when I woke up.

Jane,

I had no credit problems as I switched everything, and within a month - they started getting loans in the new name from creditors and they added the new alias immediately.

Timing is everything.

Missing my friends I met in CA

[jenn_devilz]

Ok see if this makes sense. I have yet to pay my lawyer for the name change its $900 and will allow me to change name and gender marker without having surgery because I was born in the state of California but live in Missouri. What is really odd is that I recently purchased private health insurance, they signed me up as Jennifer (insert last name here) without any sort of ID. This is also through United Healthcare may I add. So I had to actually use the insurance in the ER this morning because of a kidney stone issue I deal with every few months, the hospital registered me as Jennifer ______ and even wrote my prescription as Jennifer _____ so I goto pharmacy and the cashier at the pharmacy was like um do you have your id so I produced the id and obviously does not match the name on the prescription but the date of birth and address and social is all the same as my current legal name. The pharmacist looked at me and said miss this won't be an issue at all and even updated my name to Jennifer in the system!! I was extremely taken back and am going to go back to see her to thank her for treating me as a human being. It was one of the most kind acts I've ever experienced EVER as being out and proud as Jennifer! I'm like hellz ya! But the credit issue as Jane has produced is awesome information and much appreciated!

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Did your social number change or stay the same?

[Eryn]

Your SSN never changes.

[MissDanielle]

The SSN doesn't but we have to apply with our new name for a replacement card.