What You Should Know About Changing Your Name After Divorce

As part of your divorce, you may choose to keep your married name, or you may choose to go back to a maiden name.

Here are a few issues to consider as you make your decision.

• Making a clean break: It can be nice to make a clean break from the relationship. Shedding the name of your ex can be emotionally freeing, as you no longer have anything tying you to a relationship that emotionally damaged you. There’s a lot of catharsis involved in choosing to leave that name behind.
• Children: You might consider the effects of a name change if you have children. You might find it easier to keep the name so you and your children can have the same last name. However, for many people this isn’t an issue or a priority at all. It all varies from person to person.
• Professional life: A name change might be confusing in your professional life, so if you are already professionally known by your married name, you may choose to continue to go by that name in professional environments simply for the sake of ease. In addition, you might have professional licenses or certifications in your married name, which would mean you’d need to get those licenses or certifications adjusted.
• A new name: You might wish to go with a completely new name, different from your maiden name and your married name. This can give you an opportunity to choose a name that reflects who you are now in your life’s journey, and will set the tone for the life you want to live moving forward. It can be empowering to have that sort of agency.

For more information about changing your name after a divorce, contact an experienced Long Island divorce lawyer at Bryan L. Salamone & Associates.