Two names - legal or not?

[PrettyBrightFireflies]

DH and I married for legal reasons several years ago - I didn't change my name, so I'm still Mrs ExH Name. All my banking, self-employed registration, tax records etc in that name.

DH and I are starting a joint venture and Plan to trade as a Partnership.
Can we legally register the Partnership with HMRC using my married name - that is, Mr and Mrs DHname ?

You don't have a married name though as you haven't changed it. I suppose you can call your partnership whatever you want - is it like naming your business?

You can use your husbands name at any point you choose. It doesn't matter whether you used it after marriage, and there is no change that needs to be made. You are legally Ms your name OR Mrs His name and can use whatever you like, or chop and change between.

You are legally Ms your name OR Mrs His name and can use whatever you like, or chop and change between.

So I can be both? Mrs exDH for sole trading and Mrs DH for the partnership? Excellent!

in the UK marriage does not change your name and you can be known by whichever name you choose.

but you are making life difficult by using two names. And you'll need ID in the second name if you want to use it for a business, which means taking some action. I don't think you can have two passports or two driving licences.

in short, pick one!

As someone who has been in partnerships and is now a sole trader I would give my partnership a name. Then for the bank etc be MrH and MrsExH trading as partnership name. All chequers etc can be written to partnership name. Then it will be okay for your I/d etc to be in MrsExH.

Yep, Special has it. You are legally both names, but you'll only be able to have ID in one name, and you can do next to nothing without ID.

Lots to think about - I'm not sure if need I/D in my married name for setting up a Partnership - we intend to give it a 'name', but probably won't set up a separate bank account so it's only the Partnership agreement which we draw up ourselves and the registration with HMRC that's the issue and I can give them my NI number.

but you'll only be able to have ID in one name, and you can do next to nothing without ID

Blatantly not true. I, like many women, use either name as required. I have a passport in married name, drivers licence in maiden name, credit card with one bank in married name, card from another bank in maiden name, a bank account in each name.

You certainly don't have to pick one name.

I think you can have a passport in your name and also put on the form another name that you are known as. However, I am not sure if this other known as name shows in your passport but if it does, presumably that is ID for both names.

wow - that would be confusing! I didn't change my name on marriage, (why bother with loads of paperwork?) but if I had I would have changed it across the board.

Inconsistent ID seems rather hard work, but each to their own.

anyway seems I was wrong, so apologies.

No you can't do that purely because for self assessment you only fill in one form but with supplementary pages (employment, each self employment & each partnership).

The partnership will have a separate form & it's own UTR number & you can call that anything you like but you declare your partnership drawings on your existing self assessment.

It's not slightly hard work, why would it be? I have ID for both of my legal names, both of which I use. Why on earth would that confuse anyone?

I use my maiden name for work and related stuff and married name for home stuff ,children etc
married 20 years and it has never been a problem

But the op has asked a very specific question about registering as self employed & in a partnership with hmrc.

When she fills in her self assessment she will use the same name & UTR on the same form for both.
It's different from being known as one nane on your passport & a different name at work.

It's the equivalent of wanting two separate passports in different names.