In Search Of…All the Documents I Need to Get My REAL ID

THE SEARCH IS ON

It sounds so simple, right? I was born and raised in the United States of America. I have a social security card, a birth certificate, a utility bill; but that is not enough. I've been married and divorced in the past. Now I have to find documents from 20 years ago that list my name changes from Cordes, to my married name, and then back again.

WHERE TO GO

I realized that right now, while we are all home and taking on extra projects around the house, that this is a really good time to find all those old documents that may be stored away in a box. A great way to get everything in order for sure. But it's also good to know that you HAVE those documents. I'm not sure I do!

That's why searching for everything right now, is a good time to do so. If you can't find your birth certificate, or if you just don't have a copy, you can get one by contacting the county office where you were born. Birth Certificates should cost around $26..be careful that you are ordering them directly from your county, or you might be paying double what you need to get a copy of your certificate.

NAME CHANGES, DIVORCE & MARRIAGES

The name change forms are going to be the hard ones to come by. I changed my name over 25 years ago, and then changed it back to my maiden name in 2013. Still...a LONG time ago! I've had to use the document so many times, that I don't believe it ever made it back into my safety box. NOW WHAT?

Again, if you are having this problem, you need to go to the State and County in which you were married and resided (I believe). If you were married more than once, you'll have to get verification of each name change that occurred. Good luck with that.

EXTENDED DATE

The good news is, this stressful process that takes you on a roller coaster ride of all your history, good and bad, doesn't have to be completed until October of next year. My point it is; you can make it less stressful by gathering the information you need, one document at a time, and then take your time in getting your REAL ID. For more info on documents that you'll need, click HERE.