Officially Cox.....

What is it about changing names???   

I never changed my Social Security Card when I married the first time back in 1990.  Never.  My Social Security Card name, until a week ago, was still and always had been registered with my full maiden name from when it was issued!  Why you ask?  Two reason primarily ----1) I was lazy and didn't want to take the time to GO to the Social Security Office and WAIT to change my name for no particular reason.  2) the alternative at the time was to mail in my ORIGINAL marriage license, for which, I was not willing to mail to our government for fear (realistic in my opinion) that it would be lost.  (never mind that I haven't been able to locate it for YEARS in my own home... but hey, it's safe.... somewhere).

It's not like they couldn't and didn't find me.... I received all my SSA mailings, I paid my taxes under my maiden name (which matched my SSN) and because the NUMBER is the same, they certainly didn't miss matching up my income to me, and the IRS mailings have certainly showed up in my mail on a recurring basis.  Nothing has ever slipped through the cracks with regards to anything having to do with the name on my SS Card not matching my life name.

However, a new trick has entered the playing field that finally provided that little bit of motivation (money) that was required for me to go change my name with the Soc Security Administration.  You see, our government has put in a little hook now and classified it as a national security issue.  Really.....  if, when your employer pays you, the name on the check is not the same as the name on your SSA account, you get flagged by Homeland Security!!   Apparently, they believe this to be a BAD thing.     Before anyone gets concerned, as far as I know, no one has been tailing me, no FBI agents have shown up at my home, no one as tapped my phones, at least not that I know about.....  However, what DID happen is my employer sent me a nice little email saying, well, your name in our HR system is not the same as your name as registered on the Social Security system and we received a notice from Homeland Security that they must match.  You have 90 days to resolve this.    OK.   So... what happens if you don't resolve it, you may ask??  (Of course, I asked... this is ME your talking about...)   Ummm... well... they stop paying me.  YIKES!!!  Now, given I like to receive my paycheck every other week, I decided that perhaps I should go ahead and comply at this time!  All it took was the proper motivation!!

So.... gathered up ALL my documents I needed (or thought I might need) to change my name from it's original issuance in my maiden name to my current now married name.  Took copy (because of course, I can't find my 1990 marriage certificate now) of my 1990 marriage certificate, divorce decree, and new 2008 marriage certificate, passport, etc. to the SSA office in League City.  THAT's the office you want to go to.  Took me all of 5 minutes.  The nice lady in there didn't even ask to see the whole littany of documents I had taken time to prepare, just my most recent marriage certificate to John.  Coolness.  5 minutes later... voila... name is changed.  I emailed my friendly little HR Person at the bank and said "DONE".     Name changed at the bank overnight whether I wanted it to or not.   Main Point - I will continue to be paid!!

OFFICIALLY "Cox" now at the SSA and the Bank.

Since I got that fixed, why not continue, right??  Went to the Department of Public Safety yesterday morning and now I'm officially a COX on my Drivers License and Voters Registration card!!  Wow... we're getting somewhere now.   

The only things next to do will be...... Passport, Bank Accounts, Credit Cards, Home Loans, and on and on and on.... 

It was a momentous week in the name changing department!!

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Another post to come later today with pics from Stephen's great baseball outing on Tuesday night!!  He has another game tonight.  Go Knights!!

Later...

MA