Can a married woman open a bank account in her maiden name?

foxyruby · 5 August 2009 at 11:12AM

Hi everyone

I wonder if I can ask all you experienced moneysavers out there for some guidance? My friend is a married woman and all her documentation is in her married name. She is about to go back to work on a self-employed basis, but wants to use her maiden name in her work for security reasons, and therefore needs some kind of account in her maiden name that she can pay into and at least have a cash card so that she can draw money out. She doesn't want to borrow anything, just pay in her earnings and take them out.

She has a squeaky clean credit history, and can provide her birth certificate showing her maiden name, her marriage certificate, and endless documentation in her married name including her (Barclays) bank account, photo driving licence and council tax bills.

She decided to avoid online accounts because of the potential name hassle, and instead focused on branches offering savings accounts. First she tried Bank of Scotland, recommended by this site as the best instant access savings account with a cash card, but the only branch in her area is a business banking branch only. After finding no other savings accounts in her area (Brighton) that offer a cash card, she tried opening current accounts at Barclays and Lloyds TSB. After having to endure sly jibes like "What's the matter, don't you want your husband to know?" and "Are you getting a divorce?" (which annoyed both her AND her husband when he found out), she found almost all refused her (even her own bank, Barclays).:mad:

Only one (Lloyds TSB) entertained it, but said she would need to apply in her married name first and after she's accepted in 7-10 days they'll apply to change the name, but can't guarantee it would be allowed. My friend knows she should keep footprints on her credit file to a minimum, so this isn't ideal.

The only other option she's considered is a business bank account that offers free banking e.g. Abbey or Cooperative Bank, which seems a bit over the top. And would they want to put her married name on the account followed by "t/a (trading as) her maiden name"?

Sorry for the long message, just needed to give you all the background. Do any of you know the law here, or have any ideas how she can get round this without falling foul of money-laundering regulations etc?

Many thanks!

ahsan · 5 August 2009 at 11:28AM

maybe she can try this

search in google for "tuxedo-eccount" as forum is not letting me paste a link.

i haven't used it but i saw the advert somewhere, she might be able to open this account.

Biggles · 5 August 2009 at 11:43AM

Is there a problem with opening a separate account, in her married name, to receive her salary? It would presumably be paid by BACS, so the fact that the employer had her maiden name on their end of the documentation wouldn't matter. If they (or anyone else) wanted to pay her by cheque, I should have thought the bank would agree to allow her to pay in any cheques in her maiden name, that would be something to check before opening the account.

foxyruby · 5 August 2009 at 10:28PM

Thanks Ahsan and Biggles.

The option suggested by Biggles is no-go I'm afraid. As I put in my original post, she's self-employed so BACS is not an option, and she definitely needs an account in her maiden name only.

I've looked at the eccount suggested by Ahsan and it could be a possibility, but she'd have to pay £4.99 a month as opposed to no charges if she managed to get a current account or savings account, so I'd be very interested if other money savers have any ideas. Are there any married women out there who have managed to get a current account or savings account in their maiden name? Or are there any legal eagles who know if my friend is within her rights to ask for one?

Tigsteroonie · 5 August 2009 at 10:36PM

foxyruby wrote: »

After having to endure sly jibes like "What's the matter, don't you want your husband to know?" and "Are you getting a divorce?" (which annoyed both her AND her husband when he found out), she found almost all refused her (even her own bank, Barclays).

No suggestions as to where she should try, but why not try subtly manipulating the staff by playing along with the above? Try a white lie about "wanting to escape a bad marriage" and needing a separate account in her maiden name in which to save money to help with this?

I don't mean in any way to demean/disrespect women who genuinely need to set up this kind of arrangement - it's just an idea that could help solve her particular problem.

foxyruby · 5 August 2009 at 10:47PM

Thanks for that suggestion. I know that she wouldn't be happy about telling them a story though, she wants to do it properly. It does make me wonder how women who are genuinely trying to get some money together to escape a bad marriage manage to cope? With dice like these loaded against them, it's not great, is it?

Lindy-Lou_2 · 5 August 2009 at 10:51PM

I have accounts in both my maiden and married names with the Halifax - don't see the problem as her NI Number will be the same for both names.

Foxyruby - bad marriage or not - I think every woman should have a 'runaway fund' ......lol

foxyruby · 5 August 2009 at 11:05PM

Ah Lindy Lou, that's great! Can I ask you: did you have accounts with the Halifax in your married name first to make the way easier for accounts in your maiden name? And do you have current accounts with them or savings accounts?

And are there any other married women out there who have managed to do this?

Andy_L · 6 August 2009 at 8:57AM

She could open a business account in the company name (eg "FoxyRuby Contracting").

Biggles · 6 August 2009 at 9:06AM

In fact, if she were self-employed, she probably ought to have a separate business account anyway, and I'm sure banks are used to these being in different names (business titles, maiden names, anything).

foxyruby · 6 August 2009 at 9:05PM

Thanks Andy L and Biggles

She may well have to go down the business account route. It's just tantalising because there are married women, such as Lindy Lou on this site, and others elsewhere, who are saying that they've got a variety of bank accounts in their maiden names as well as married names and as long as the National Insurance number is the same throughout there isn't a problem.

I'm now wondering if there is a financial authority somewhere who could give a definitive answer on this. Maybe the FSA might cover this - I'm not sure that a family law solicitor would be the best route since the solicitor might not be an authority on banking regulations. And it seems really OTT to have to pay a solicitor to find out if she's got a right to an account in her maiden name anyway.

Can a married woman open a bank account in her maiden name?

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