Many women wish to revert back to their maiden name after a divorce, and they can easily complete this process as part of the final divorce agreement. However, sometimes there are reasons to keep your husband’s name after a divorce. At The Martin Law Firm, our experienced attorneys are prepared to sit down with your case to discuss whether a good reason exists to keep your husband’s name after the divorce and whether it is allowed. To learn more, call or contact our office today to schedule a consultation of your case.
Can You Keep Your Husband’s Last Name?
There is no legal obligation for a wife to revert back to her maiden name after a divorce, and a husband cannot legally force his former spouse to take another name once after the divorce is final. As part of the final divorce decree, be sure that the final agreement states that you will be keeping your married last name and that a name change order is not necessary as part of the final divorce documentation. No additional action is necessary if you wish to keep your married name after a divorce.
Reasons for Keeping Your Married Last Name
Divorced women keep their married last name for a number of good reasons. One of the most common reasons is to keep continuity with their children’s last name and avoid confusion with school and other activities involving the kids. Another common reason for keeping a last name is for work purposes. If the wife spent years developing a career under her married name, it can cause professional damage if she reverts back to her maiden name while still working. For wives going through a divorce who possess any level of fame or notoriety, such as Tina Turner, it could cause significant damage to their career to change the name that has also become their brand.
Changing a last name back from the married to the maiden name is also a serious hassle. This involves contacting and visits to the DMV, Social Security office, credit card companies, banks, office building security, passport offices, and more. It takes time and money to change a name back from a married last name to a maiden name. A former wife may also keep a married last name if it offers some level of prestige. Having a last name and connections as a Kennedy or a Clinton will open more doors than reverting back to a last name that lacks those meaningful connections. Whatever the reason, a wife going through a divorce is allowed to keep her married name if she chooses.
Talk to an Experienced Attorney Now
If you are struggling with the decision of whether to revert back to your maiden name or keep your married name after a divorce, talk to one of our experienced divorce attorneys at The Martin Law Firm in Pennsylvania by calling us at (215) 646-3980 or contacting us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your case.