Full Legal Names, Explained
“Full Legal Name” explained: it is a best practice to use a person’s full legal name (“FLN” for short) when including them in a legal document, such as a Will, Trust, Health Care Power of Attorney, Durable General Power of Attorney, etc. FLN means the name on that person’s government identification. Using FLNs in your documents ensures an entirely accurate and easily verifiable representation of the referenced person. For most people, it includes a first name, a middle name, and a last name. Variations exist (see FAQs below), but for ease of reference in our intake forms, we use the term “full legal name (first, middle, last, no nicknames).” Example: Carter Chase Client.
FAQs about FLNs:
Q: I don’t know this person’s FLN. Do I have to get it?
A: Yes. If this person is important enough to include in your estate plan documents, you want to ensure they are accurately referred to and can easily verify their identity if/when needed.
Q: What if someone doesn’t have a middle name on their government identification?
A: Their FLN is just their first and last name. Example: Carter Client.
Q: What if someone only has a middle initial on their government identification?
A: Their FLN is their first, middle initial, and last name. Example: Carter C. Client.
Q: Are occupational honorifics (such as Dr. for doctor, Hon. for honorable, Rev. for Reverend, etc.) part of someone’s FLN?
A: It depends. If their government identification includes the honorific, then yes.
Q: Are generational titles/suffixes (Sr. for Senior, Jr. for Junior, II, III, etc.) part of someone’s FLN?
A: It depends. If their government identification includes the generational title/suffix, then yes.
Q: What if a person’s FLN is inconsistent across documents, and the differences are not due to marriage, divorce, or a legal name change? For example, if their birth certificate says Carter Chase Client, Jr., their driver’s license says Carter C. Client, Jr., and their passport says Carter Chase Client, what is their FLN?
A: In this situation, we use the most complete version of their FLN and include a parenthetical statement about the variations. Example: Carter Chase Client, Jr. (listed as Carter C. Client, Jr. and Carter Chase Client in some legal identification documents). And, there’s an FAQ below about when the difference is due to marriage, divorce, or a legal name change.
Q: Are nicknames part of someone’s FLN?
A: No, unless they are on the person’s government identification or if the person has legally changed their name to the nickname (making the nickname part of their FLN).
Q: What if the person I’m referring to has a preferred/chosen name and doesn’t want their dead name/FLN used?
A: We empathize with this reality and see it with many clients. Unfortunately, we need to use their FLN to ensure the person can easily verify their identity if/when required. However, we can include their preferred/chosen name as well.
Q: What is a preferred/chosen name, and how is it different from a nickname?
A: A preferred/chosen name is the name a person chooses to be called, often significantly different than their legal name. Sometimes, a person’s preferred/chosen name includes some part(s) of their FLN. Other times, a person’s preferred/chosen name completely replaces their FLN. A nickname is an informal variation of a person’s legal name, often used by many people with that legal name (example: Jim for James).
Q: Do I need to update my documents if someone’s FLN changes due to marriage, divorce, or another reason (such as a legal name change)?
A: Updating documents is unnecessary as long the person’s FLN was accurate on the day you signed your documents. However, the document's legality is sometimes less important than honoring the wishes of the person whose name has changed. In those situations, you may decide it’s worth the additional cost and time to update your documents.