Updating Personal Name Information
- Notify the IRS to process your tax return, send your refund, or contact you.
- Learn how to update your name to avoid delays.
- Provide details to avoid delays.
Updating Address Information
- Notify government agencies of name changes within 14 days.
- Attend a registry or service center in person with ID and marriage certificate.
Updating Personal Information with IRS and SSA
Bank account information cannot be changed online. The IRS has your account details from your tax return.
Notify the Social Security Administration of name changes immediately. The IRS checks names and social security numbers against SSA records when you file taxes. Failing to report a name change causes problems.
Update your employer and financial institutions with your new name to get earnings statements and refunds properly.
You don’t have to change your name on your Social Security card when you change your name.
Contact the IRS for help with name control if you are unable to determine it.
Notify the IRS immediately if you changed your name since your last tax return to avoid delays getting stimulus payments. You should be able to deposit stimulus checks made out to your previous legal name.
Business Name Changes
Note there has been no management or product/service change with the business name change.
Usually include EIN, old and new business names, address, and date of change when notifying the IRS of a business name change.
Announce business name changes publicly on multiple channels, following up with letters to customers.
Important Details About Name Changes
Does Social Security notify IRS of name change?
Notify the Social Security Administration of a name change ASAP. If a name on your tax return doesn’t match SSA records, it can delay the IRS processing of your return. If a newly-adopted child has a Social Security number, inform the SSA of their name change. Apply for an Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number by filing Form W-7A with the IRS.
Update your employer and financial institutions with your new name to get earnings statements and refunds properly. File Form SS-5 with the SSA after a name change. The form is available on SSA.gov or by calling 800-772-1213. You can also notify the IRS by calling 1-800-829-1040. Remember to update your driver’s license, Social Security card and other IDs with your new name before submitting updated information to the IRS.
If Social Security is unaware of a name change it could delay the processing of a disability claim. You must change your legal name with Social Security directly. Do not shred original Social Security cards, birth certificates, mortgage paperwork, deeds or wills after a name change.
In general, wait a minimum of ten days after the SSA changes your records before you file your tax return. This leaves time for your new name to be changed across IRS databases. To amend your tax return for a name or SSN change, use Form 1040X from the IRS website. Explain why you’re filing the amended return in Part III of Form 1040X.
You can file your taxes with your maiden name. Tax forms provide separate lines for each spouse’s name and SSN. Send the IRS Form 8822 to change your address so refunds or correspondence go to the right place. Taxpayers can also instruct USPS to forward mail.
Making IRS name updates doesn’t involve the IRS. Although the IRS will verify your name and SSN match, most tax matters get tracked through your SSN. Notify government agencies of name changes within 14 days by attending a registry or service center in person with ID and marriage certificate.
Miscellaneous Information on Name Changes
Do I have to change my name with the IRS after marriage?
If you change your name after marriage, notify the Social Security Administration. File Form SS-5 to notify the SSA. To obtain Form SS-5, visit SSA.gov or call the SSA at 800-772-1213.
The IRS knows when your name changes through information the SSA provides. The name on your tax return must match SSA records to avoid refund delays. Note your name change on your return, or file Form 8822 to update your name with the IRS. Obtain Form 8822 at IRS.gov.
To file your taxes with your maiden name, list your maiden name on the appropriate lines for each spouse. Your tax forms have separate lines for each spouse’s name and SSN. File your returns with the SSA and IRS under the same name to prevent delays.
You can amend an incorrect tax return with Form 1040X. Explain the name or SSN discrepancy in Part III of Form 1040X. Obtain Form 1040X from the IRS website.
Changing your name requires notifying:
- Employers, to update earnings statements
- Banks and lenders, to get refunds and correspondence properly
- Government agencies, to update licenses, mortgages, and property records
When changing a business name with the IRS, either check the name change box on your annual business tax return or send a name change letter if the business has not submitted tax returns.
To apply for an Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number, file Form W-7A with the IRS.
Though the IRS checks your name and SSN, most tax records get tracked through your SSN. Your updated name with government agencies ensures full synchronicity for seamless tax filing across your earnings statements, tax returns, and refunds.