Name Change and Credit History

[Lauren1]

Hey all!

I have a question about changing your name (and this should apply in every state). So credit is driven by the three credit agencies. What happens when you have legally changed your name? Does it update when you update the records with the SSA? Or does my credit go to blank.... (which is bad news bear if I want to buy a house in the next couple years!)

[LordKAT]

It follows your social security number first.  Name change at SS office will be all yo have to do although you will want to contact your creditors as well.

[Delsorou]

Your credit bureau history will display exactly what the reporting creditors tell them to display for name.  Once you change your name with the SSA, you will then need to do it with each entity appearing on your credit report.

And then the "AKA" fields will start counting down the years until they drop off.  You may be able to contest those, as well.

And yes, once you start doing things with the new name attached to your SSN, it will be "blank".  Mine still is missing half of my accounts because I'm being lazy.

[Sydney_NYC]

Change it with social security first. Then change it with all you creditors that report to the 3 credit agencies. (Credit Cards, Bank Loans, etc. Utility Companies usually don't report unless it goes to collections.) After a few months the creditors will start to report with the same SS# and your new name. (Gender is not on the credit report anywhere.) The only bad thing is that on Experian, any previous name will show up on your report (for up to 7 years.) So basically your credit report can out you, but only if it's a detailed report. (Like a Mortgage or car loan would require.) Sometimes you can ask to have it removed but it usually doesn't work.

I changed my name last June (right after I leased a new Honda CRV) and last week applied for a Lane Bryant card. It was the first time I had applied for credit since my name change. I was approved and didn't have any issues. I went on the annual credit report site (the one you get for free once a year) to see if everything was on there. The Experian it gave me, and everything on my old one from last year was still there with the changes from the last year. The other two (Experian and TransUnion), said I had to mail in the form and send proof with a photocopy of SSN and Driver's License. I should get those in a few weeks and find out what they say. I've heard that they sometimes start a new file, others say they don't. I guess I'm going to find out.

Also my wife ran hers and on two of them it had my new name on the joint accounts but said she was married to my old name.

Also if you don't have anything reporting, you can send a letter to each of them to the following addresses:

Equifax
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, GA 30374

TransUnion LLC
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19022

Experian
National Consumer Assistance Center
P.O. Box 2002
Allen, TX 75013


An example letter format should be:

Re: Request to change name on credit report

Dear Sir or Madam:

My credit information with your company current is currently held under my previous name: Full previous name. However, I have recently changed my name and now am legally known as: Full new name.

This letter is my formal request that you change your records to reflect my new legal name.

If you have any questions about these changes, you can contact me by mail at my new address or by telephone at work phone number during business hours.

I also am enclosing a copy of my court order. This will verify my name change and ensure accurate spelling on my updated credit report.

Thank you for your prompt attention to my request.

Your Signature
Your Typed Name
Your Address
City, State and ZIP Code

Enclosure:  Court order (copy)

[Mariah]

Reading this reminds me I have one account I haven't switched that I think is still open. I suppose I should switch it over even though I don't use it anymore.

Your credit bureau history will display exactly what the reporting creditors tell them to display for name.  Once you change your name with the SSA, you will then need to do it with each entity appearing on your credit report.

And then the "AKA" fields will start counting down the years until they drop off.  You may be able to contest those, as well.

And yes, once you start doing things with the new name attached to your SSN, it will be "blank".  Mine still is missing half of my accounts because I'm being lazy.

[Jenna Marie]

In *theory,* your Social Security number is sufficient. In practice, all three bureaus lost a few of my oldest, closed accounts. Which is a little annoying, but not enough that it was worth it to me to go through the hassle to correct it...

(I changed my name about three years ago now.)

I guess on the bright side, they never found my old names for the AKAs field either, so there's that.