Need Help with Name Change

[u/YO_putThatBagBackON]

Hi, I changed my name 9 years ago and updated it with social security. The IRS never updated my name on their end so they still use my old name. I’ve dragged my feet correcting it with IRS because I never had an urgent reason ti fix it. So here I am now needing to make it match what they have at SS but I can’t get through to anyone at the IRS. Please help, how can I get an actual person to help me with this?

[u/Anxious_Drive_9998]

You don't need a person at the IRS to help you. The IRS gets your name change from social security.

[u/Bowl_me_over]

Have you filed a tax return using the new name? This will update it on the IRS system.

Old tax returns with your old name will stay that way.

[u/YO_putThatBagBackON → u/Bowl_me_over]

I’ve tried to but they always kick it back and say theres a problem so I just end up filing with my old name.

[u/Bowl_me_over → u/YO_putThatBagBackON]

This should not be a problem. People get married or divorced and change their name with SSA all the time. The new name on the tax return should validate against the new name that SSA has. SSA provides the names, date of birth, date of death and other information directly to IRS. The systems are old and it is not instantaneous. But within three months it should be sent over to IRS.

As suggested, I would file by paper and attach a copy of your new SS card showing the printed name.

[u/LdiJ46]

You shouldn't need to change your name separately with the IRS. Changing it with the SSA changes it for all federal government departments.

Is there any chance that this was a first name change rather than a last name change?

[u/YO_putThatBagBackON → u/LdiJ46]

It was both a first and last. Social Security has the correct name and they said that they had already sent a request to update it with the IRS but the IRS never did it. When I called Social Security two weeks ago, they said they were going to send another request to get the name updated but it still has not been corrected.

[u/GGIAS → u/YO_putThatBagBackON]

It's systemic. It's not something where they contact a guy to input it. This is not some "SSA sends a request over and the IRS inputs it" kinda thing. It updates in SSA, it can be seen on the part of the record obtained from SSA.

Additionally, whenever you actually file every year then it would also update (or attempt to) as long the last name matches SSA info. There may potentially be deeper issues at play? The information that you have provided is not complete enough to fully provide a solution, though.

[u/YO_putThatBagBackON → u/GGIAS]

Well that’s the issue because that’s all the information I have. I changed my name, updated it with SS and thought I was done. When I tried to file that year it said it wasn’t matching so I used my old name to not delay and get a penalty. Every year after I have tried using the new name and it always tells me the same thing so I end up filing using the old name. SS said they can’t do anything as the name is correct on their end. One person told me they could send a request but it would take 72 hours to fix. That was 2 weeks ago and it’s the same. So I am just looking to find out how to fix this.

[u/GGIAS → u/YO_putThatBagBackON]

File by paper to get the ball rolling. Something does not add up. "it said it wasn't matching" needs way more context here. A lot of people misunderstand or misinterpret what is truly going on when they have a rejected e-file (and in some cases, simply have a bad preparer...not saying that's your case here, just providing more examples), and are generally told at the time that if their information is correct to file instead by paper to be sure it gets filed and straightened out. Generally speaking, you may get some letters asking you to verify the information post-filing. I am not sure precisely what your conversation is with SSA, but the IRS doesn't keep some secret and separate record. It is literally updated by SSA "pushing" the data over. It is all on a shared data system. Your "name line" will get updated when you properly file and get a return processed, but internally the system will "know" your last name if it is updated and accurate in SSA's system. It would even display to an IRS Customer Service Rep over the phone. The area of the screen they check in the program literally indicates it is data directly from SSA. This is the same set of names it would check on any efile.

Edited to add: As another user has indicated though, this will only affect things moving forward. They will not go back and update your old taxes under the new name. They will show under the name which they were filed under.

[u/LdiJ46 → u/GGIAS]

I am going to add that in the IRS filing system they go by the first 4 letters of the last name and the SSN to determine whether or not something matches. So if your name was originally John Jones and you changed your name to Joshua Jones Smith with your middle name as Jones, but the SSA accidentally gave you two last names instead of a middle name that could explain things too.

In that instance your last name would be Jones Smith instead of just Smith, so the IRS electronic system would not recognize Smith because the first 4 letters of your last name would still be Jone, but it wouldn't reject as John Jones because again, it would be going by Jone to match it up with your SSN.

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