paperwork, and other paperwork

[snugglekitty]

Important upcoming pieces of paperwork in my life:

1)I'm going to legally change my first name to Honey. For all other intents and purposes, it's been my first name for ten years already. According to the info I'm looking at online, I'm going to have to go to court to do this, as well as publishing an announcement in the paper. Whee.

2)I'm going to get a passport, so a certain someone can whisk me away to even more exotic destinations.

3)I'm going to file whatever one files to Do Business As.

4)I'm going to deduct my business expenses on my taxes next year. Since I'm doing a lot of certify-y stuff this year, it will be pretty significant, I think. J said, "But you have to be really good about keeping records of everything!" I gave him a Look. Then I said, "Want to see my payroll stubs from when I was doing phone surveys four years ago?" He said, "Um. Okay."

It would make sense to do the first one first, so that the subsequent bits will be in the right name rather than having to be changed. But I've never gone to court before. Not really looking forward to it.

Comments

[catya.livejournal.com]

i did it a while back - no newspaper announcement at the time. it was pretty straightforward, and the parking ticket cost me more than the court date.

[cutieperson]

court's not so bad for things like that. they'll probably schedule it on a day that similar things are scheduled, so you may not even have to sit around the waiting room with unsavory types.

[sunspiral.livejournal.com]

If you need a recommendation on a good tax accountant, just ask.

[cathijosephine.livejournal.com]

Ooh! I need a recommendation!

[sunspiral.livejournal.com]

Send me an email and I'll put his contact info in the reply. He advertises, but I'm still not comfortable posting contact in LJ.

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

Actually, that would be very helpful. I have found something on line that says I shouldn't have to pay taxes on the insurance money I'm getting, but I would like a professional to confirm that before I don't deduct...

[sunspiral.livejournal.com]

Info on the way.

[beowabbit]

I'd love to hear how the name-change thing goes and how much it costs; I need to do the same thing. (The Social Security Administration knows I'm Jay, but the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles and the State Department are confused.)

[bluepapercup]

$165 dollars filing fee, $20 for a copy of the court certificate which you then must present to social security and the DMV, etc.

[bryghtrose.livejournal.com]

good for you :)

I can recommend a lawyer if you need one.

[berleye.livejournal.com]

I changed my name 16 years ago. I could not legally reverse my adoption so I changed my legal name to my original name, and now use my originial birth certificate from before I was adopted. It cost me the form and court fees. I didn't use a lawyer.