After decades of marriage, your surname may feel less like a label and more like a second skin — and letting it go can stir unexpected grief, relief, or confusion. Whether you want to return to your birth name, adopt a new one, or keep your married name while changing it socially, this book walks you through every step with clarity and compassion. You’ll learn the legal processes for name change in most Western jurisdictions, how to update documents from passports to pensions, and how to handle the emotional weight of explaining your choice to adult children, friends, and professional circles. With checklists for notification letters, timelines for updating records, and scripts for awkward conversations, you’ll gain the confidence to move forward without second-guessing. The book also addresses unique later-life considerations: protecting credit history, coordinating with estate plans, and navigating shared accounts without conflict. Whether your divorce was amicable or adversarial, your name is yours to shape. Part of The Later-Life Divorce Library.