HI… I'M RACHEL… AND I WORK FOR THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE. IF YOU CHANGED YOUR NAME AFTER A RECENT MARRIAGE… DIVORCE OR FOR SOME OTHER REASON… YOU NEED TO NOTIFY THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION OF THAT CHANGE BEFORE YOU FILE YOUR TAX RETURN. OTHERWISE, IRS COMPUTERS CAN'T MATCH YOUR NEW NAME WITH YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER. . . AND NAMES THAT DON'T MATCH CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS WHEN WE PROCESS YOUR RETURN. IT COULD EVEN DELAY YOUR REFUND. TO UPDATE YOUR RECORDS… USE FORM S-S-FIVE… THE APPLICATION FOR A SOCIAL SECURITY CARD. YOU CAN GET IT FROM THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION'S WEBSITE AT S-S-A-DOT-GOV. WHETHER YOU FILE FORM S-S-FIVE AT YOUR LOCAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE OR BY MAIL…YOU'LL NEED TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTS TO SUPPORT YOUR LEGAL NAME CHANGE… SUCH AS AN ORIGINAL OR CERTIFIED COPY OF YOUR MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE. FOR MORE INFORMATION… GO TO I-R-S-DOT-GOV.
