Identiy crisis - maiden/married names

[BrassicaBabe]

Hi

I believe I have a legal right to use either my married or my maiden name. But how far does this right go? Because I'm using both.

In my married name:
Bank accounts
Car insureance
Various shopping accounts
Credit card #1
Electoral Role

In my maiden name:
Employment
Shares
Pension
Passport
Driving licence
Credit card #2
Health Insurance

Locally I'm known as Mrs X and at work Miss Y. This split in formal identity was forced because I didn't want to change my name at work and so left many documents unchanged. But we were given cheques as wedding presents and the bank made me change my bank accounts (single) when DH and I wanted to open a joint account.

Some documents have been left in my maiden name on purpose, others because I've just not bothered to change them.

This week I'd had a problem because I need to open a share trading account with shares bought via employment. These shares are in my maiden name. So I want to open a trading account in my maiden name.

Anyway, I think I waffle too much. Am I ok to carry on opening some accounts in one name and others in another?

I thought I had the right to use either. But it seems that agencies cannot cope with both.

Thanks

[Collaborate]

You should be ok. Don't know about bank accounts though. You need proof of ID ie passport.

[littlemisstax]

I have a mix (only because I've not got round to changing it) - my only problem is remembering which signature to use!

I have both names on my passport so can use it as ID for both names and can travel in either my married name or maiden name.

[BrassicaBabe]

Thanks guys.

I really can use either name going forwards? I think many of the problems are simply caused by "computer says no" when it comes to on-line automated applications. So using either name when applying for anything new just makes things a bit more long winded.

How do I get both names on my passport? I like that idea I think it would sort a number of problems!

[nocake]

The problem occurs when trying to use both names with the same company or organisation. They don't build their computer systems to cope with people using two names.

DW uses her maiden name but has a bank account in her married name for cheques from her family who still can't get their heads round the fact that she hasn't changed her name. She managed this by opening an account at a different bank.

[littlemisstax]

I got both names on my passport by writing "I am known professionally as ..." in the additional information box on the form. The passport itself is in my married name, and has "the holder is also known as ..." in the official observations box on the other side of the photo page.