Telling the IRS about a name change
There is no IRS name-change form for an individual. The IRS takes your name from Social Security. What that means for your next return, and why Form 8822 is not the answer.
There is no IRS name-change form for an individual. Nothing needs to be filed.
The IRS takes your name from the Social Security Administration, so updating Social Security is what updates the IRS.
Form 8822 changes your address, not your name. There is no name equivalent.
If the name on your tax return does not match the Social Security record, the return can be delayed or rejected and a refund held with it.
If you run a business with its own EIN, that is a separate notification on Form 8822-B.
What Internal Revenue Service requires
| What | Value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form | None for individuals | IRS — name changes and SSN matching | |
| Fee | Free | IRS — name changes and SSN matching | |
| What to do | Update Social Security | IRS — name changes and SSN matching | |
| When it matters | At filing time | IRS — name changes and SSN matching | |
| Business EIN | Form 8822-B | IRS — name changes and SSN matching |
What to do before you file
Make sure Social Security has your new name on record before you file your next return.
File in the name that Social Security holds. If your name changed late in the year and the record has not caught up, filing in the old name is the safer choice.
Give your employer your new name too, so the W-2 that reaches the IRS matches your return.
The forms that are not the answer
Form 8822 is a change of address. It has no name field for this purpose.
Form SS-5 is the Social Security form, and it is the one that does the work here.
Form 8822-B applies only if a business entity with its own EIN is changing its name or responsible party.
This one does not differ by state
Federal tax administration has no state dimension for an individual name change, and state tax agencies take the name from the federal return.
Everything above is free. Doing it everywhere else is the work.
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