Your message of dealing with things before they get urgent is absolutely on point! And in response to your particular plight - my advice to young women - don't change your name officially. Keep everything the same. People can call you whatever name you ask them to, but officially, you are your birth name!
When I got divorced, it was a daunting task to revert to my maiden name. It was particularly galling as I had never wanted to change my name in the first place. It took a spreadsheet, many follow up forms, emails, and phone calls to fully reclaim my identity. Fortunately, this made it easy to get my REAL ID last year, as my birth certificate, Social Security card, passport, and utility bills were all in the same name.
Your message of dealing with things before they get urgent is absolutely on point! And in response to your particular plight - my advice to young women - don't change your name officially. Keep everything the same. People can call you whatever name you ask them to, but officially, you are your birth name!
When I got divorced, it was a daunting task to revert to my maiden name. It was particularly galling as I had never wanted to change my name in the first place. It took a spreadsheet, many follow up forms, emails, and phone calls to fully reclaim my identity. Fortunately, this made it easy to get my REAL ID last year, as my birth certificate, Social Security card, passport, and utility bills were all in the same name.
Thanks for your perspective, Lisa!!