Vendor Review: Miss Now Mrs

I went and did it.  I spent $30 on an online-based name-change program because I was worried changing my name would turn into a typical North-Jersey experience replete with stereotypical desk ladies with their bad dye jobs and worse moods, telling me I'd have to wait in two hour lines because I filled out the wrong form, etc., etc.  So when I saw that there was a service that would at least ease the process of getting the forms right I signed right up.  And having spent the money, I think it's worth giving you the benefit of my experience on this one.

Bottom line: you don't need this but it's a nice convenience if you have $30 to spend.

How it works:

The name of the service I used is Miss Now Mrs but I know there are others out there too.  Basically, all you have to do is pay them and then you're in.  Using their online questionnaire, you fill in some blanks.  Using that information, the service generates forms and letters for you to help you change your name.  For example, it gives you the form for the Social Security office, tells you what to bring with you when you go, and links to the US Social Security website to help you locate the correct office to go to.

Pros:

- You answer some questions and the service fills out all the forms for you- which the people at my Social Security Office really appreciated- legible forms are happy forms!

- You know the form you are using is current and that you're using the correct form so there is no drama when you get to the place you're going.

- The program tells you where to bring the form, and what else to bring with you.

- It gives you a checklist of parties you may need to notify and drafts letters you can send them- from your student loan lender to your professional licensing board.  (I found this very helpful.)

- The company claims they save an average of 13 hours per person on this process.  I think that's reasonable, when you consider the amount of time one might spend online locating the proper forms, figuring out what to bring with them, and filling the forms out.

- You can give this service as a gift.  I would so much rather have gotten this as a gift than a couple of other things we got, har har :)

Cons:

- If you know someone who has ever changed their name, you can easily find out what you need to do without needing a software-based checklist, simply by asking them.  Let's face it, this is not rocket science.

- You only really get the benefit of less hassle when it comes to your new Social Security card (and maybe passport).  The rest can often be handled with a phone call, email or simple fax.

- Having the forms only gets you halfway there.  Companies still want to see that marriage certificate and new social security card.

- By the time you enter all the information into the service regarding banks and such for the form letters, you might as well have just drafted the letter yourself.  Very little time is saved on that step.

- Some of the forms are not accurate- for example, I could not use their form for the New Jersey DMV.  When you buy the program, their waiver says that they don't have to give you the most updated form- and in at least this case, they didn't.  But they say they will "undertake commercially reasonable efforts" to give you the right one, and they claim to have a 6 month money back satisfaction guarantee, so it seems like the risk isn't too great.

Summary:

At the end of the day I decided I could afford to spend $30 for a reduction in hassle with respect to my name change.  That doesn't mean changing my name has been hassle-free.  Au contraire.  It is a huge hassle every step of the way.  I can't tell you how much MORE I'd pay if I could just hire someone to handle it for me.  If you'd rather spend your $30 on a pedicure, I'd see the merits of that too.