On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in divorce on Thursday, October 22, 2015.
Divorce will bring many changes to your life. Some are expected, such as no longer living with your spouse, and needing to assume many of the duties and responsibilities your spouse may have handled when you were married. Some may be not-so-expected. But the more you think through those potential changes before your divorce is final, the better you can set your expectations and those of others.
Take something as seemingly simple as your last name, if, as a married woman, you assumed your husband’s last name. After your marriage dissolution is final, do you still want your identity tied up in that of your former husband? In a bitter divorce, the prospect if keeping that name may be offensive.
In a more amicable divorce, especially if you have young children, you may find it difficult to change the name and have a different last name than your children. And they may have an opinion. They may be troubled and confused as to why mommy has a different last name.
You may view it as part of the recognition of your time together, and keep the name as a sign of your relationship that produced your children. Or, if you have a strong, professional identity, where it could be expensive to change the name and potentially confusing to customers or clients, you may see it more as a business decision to keep the name.
Name changes are only one of many changes that can occur during your divorce, and your attorney can help you work through them and decide the direction you want to go with each potential change.
Source: forbes.com, “Should You Change Your Name After Divorce?” Emma Johnson, October 20, 2015
