Getting Married and How to Change Children's Last Names?

I have 2 kids age 1 1/2 and 6. The 6 year old has her "birth" father's last name and the 1 1/2 year old has mine(don't know who her birth father is or could be). How do I go about changing their last names when I change mine(get married)? The birth father of my 6 year old is not in her life, and would prob. sign whatever papers needed. But I don't want him to be able to "get out" of having to pay child support for her. Please help thanks.

Getting Married and How to Change Children's Last Names?
You go to the ss office and change their names. as for the older child, unless there was some kind of legal agreement about this..it shouldnt be a problem, however, he should be informed of the change. in her case, you might have both names..your married name and her original birth name. This has nothing to do with 'child support'. name change doesnt release his obligation in that. your new husband adopting her would cause any support to stop and that would also have to be agreed upon by her bio dad. I see youre trying to make a real family where there was once a wayward road. good luck to you
Reply:In the state of Washington what would it cost to have my children's name changed to my married last name...? Report Abuse

Reply:File name change in court. You won't be able to do that though UNLESS the new husband ADOPTS your kids legally. You will have to prove that the father of your six year old or the possible father of the other one doesn't want any claim what so ever
Reply:you can't give them your husbands name unless he legally adopts them and if you want your ex to pay support, don't have her adopted.
Reply:In order for their names to be changed they have to be adopted by their stepfather. If he adopts them, then the biological father has no further obligation for child support. You can't have it both ways.
Reply:have your new husband adopt them
Reply:I don't know if it is different from state to state, but as far as I know it is a couple hundred dollars and a court visit to change names. You would have to notify the father, if you don't have an address for him it is acceptable to put an ad in the local paper here. If uncontested, then you could change their name to yankee doodle for that matter. It doesn't relinquesh the father's rights, so they still have to pay child support, well, they are supposed to anyways. Try visiting your local courthouse web page they may have some info on exactly what you would need to do.
Reply:If your children's father signs away parental rights he will not be legally obligatged to pay child support. You have to make up your mind what you want? Do you want him to pay child support or do you want to change their last name? Once he signs over all parental rights your present husband will have to adopt them to give them his last name and HE will be legally obligated by virtue of adoption to support your children. You don't get to have it both ways. You sound like an immature spoiled child with your demands.
Reply:If you still want child support, then you cant change her name. Because your new husband would have to adopt her, and her father would have to sign over his parental rights. Same with the other, he would have to adopt her. Unless you want to lie and say he is her father, but that can cause more problems also.
Reply:Your new husband will have to adopt those kids and when that happens then the child support will stop. Sorry!!!

ivy