Bill Lentz wrote:

- quote -

I would place BOTH names on the return. <name 1> AKA <name
2> , with the alias part being in the last name field.

I have a client or two who uses a name different from their
SSA records to do business - and the IRS has never bitched
to me (or the clients) about this in the 15 years I have
done their returns (first 4 years I was unpaid as I was
still an IRS employee then). This happens alot in the
entertainment industry.

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Bill Lentz wrote:

- quote -

The first 4 letters (I think it is 4 letters) of the last
name has to match the SSA number in the database. File as
Smith; wait a short while and apply to SSA for name change.

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Bill Lentz wrote:

- quote -

If she hasn't yet changed her name with SSA, then she should
use her married name.

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Bill Lentz <blentz[at]negatorygoodbuddy.prodigy.net> wrote:

- quote -

She should notify SSA of the name change immediately! Then,
she should use the new name on her tax return. IRS updates
its files from the SSA master file every few days (I've read
about the schedule but I don't remember just how ofter.)
She needs to be sure SSA has time to update the file because
IRS matches information on returns with its copy of the SSA
master file.

Lanny K. Williams, CPA
Nawarat, Williams & Co., Ltd.
Income Tax Services for Expatriate Americans

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Bill Lentz wrote:

- quote -

If she e-files, must use name on SSA card. Even if she
recently changed her name at SSA it takes a few weeks before
IRS gets it into their system. They match on the first 4
charachters of the last name. If she paper files, it doesn't
matter, but any refund will be issued to the name on the tax
return.

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blentz[at]negatorygoodbuddy.prodigy.net (Bill=A0Lentz) posted:

- quote -

She's got that right. And that's the first step before
considering any change of name in filing a tax return.

- quote -

Since 2005 W-2s were issued to Susan Smith -- and SSA only
has records of Susan Smith under her SS number -- she should
definitely file using her "old" name. (E-Filing will be
rejected, if SS number and name don't match.)

Time enough to get everything corrected for her 2006 return,
when it should all match up. If she has a refund, the bank
will accept a direct deposit without noting the "name" --
they only care about the account number, anyway. ;-)

Bill

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Bill Lentz wrote:

- quote -

She needs to file using the name that the SSA has on file.
If she has not yet changed her name, she will use the old
name, if that was the name the SSA had already. An e-filed
return would be kicked back if she used the wrong name.

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Bill Lentz wrote:

- quote -

Since she has yet to obtain a new card from SSA, she should
file under the name shown on her current card -- Susan Smith
-- if she wants to avoid problems with filing her 2005
return.

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"Bill Lentz" <blentz[at]negatorygoodbuddy.prodigy.net> wrote:

- quote -

Make sure that the return matches SSA records.

--
Phil Marti
Clarksburg, MD

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(Names Changed)

Susan Smith was separated at 12-31-05, and will file Married
Filing Separately. The divorce was final 2-21-06, and her
name has legally changed back to Susan Jones. (W-2's were,
of course, issued to Susan Smith) She plans to advise SSA
of the name change.

As a practical matter, how should she approach filing - old
name or new name? She doesn't yet know if she will owe or
receive a refund.

Thanks
Bill

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