Opening a bank account in professional name

LP87

Hi,

I have scouted around quite a lot on the net regarding this and can't find any useful info so I'm hoping someone here will be able to help!

I have never been married and have kept the same name all my life.

I do, however have a professional name as I work in the entertainment industry, which is in no form my legal name. (Think Johnny Vegas, but not quite so severe!)

I want to have a pre-paid card or even a debit card / cash account for my professional name, on which my legal name does not appear.

Is this possible? If so, how do I go about doing this?

Just to clarify, I have no interest in changing my every day name to my professional name! I just want to have a separate bank account (in the black not in the red!) under this name.

Many thanks for your time, hope you can help!

LD87

Loughton_Monkey

Although, in itself, this would be perfectly legal, I think you will find a great reluctance amongst the banks to do this for you. There are extremely strict laws about banks having to 'know their customer'. OK. I know what you are thinking. Yes you would disclose 100% your real details etc. and their checks would come out 'brand new'.....

But think about it. The banks would now be issuing you with bank cards and cheque books and bank statements under a totally different name - making it far easier for you, now, to go to another institution and claim that false identity for yourself.

If it's a case that you occasionally are given cheques under your 'stage name' then this is another matter. Set up the bank account in your real name, but provide them with full facts as to why payemnts are being received in this name, and they will make appropriate notes on the file and will allow that. My wife does that [although first name difference only].

Should you discover that I am wrong, please let me know. I will immediately set myself up as an 'entertainer' [despite the fact that I have no talent whatsoever in anything at all] and set myself up with bank accounts, cards, statements in the names of Mickey Mouse, Margaret Thatcher, Albert Einstein,....... I need a new hobby!

coolesticeking

LP87 wrote: »

Hi,
Just to clarify, I have no interest in changing my every day name to my professional name! I just want to have a separate bank account (in the black not in the red!) under this name.

Many thanks for your time, hope you can help!

Unless you change it by deedpool on a permient basis, I doubt any bank will help you due to money laundering risks.

Only way would be if you set up a business account such as a Ltd company as your name and this would allow you then to cash cheques etc without a problem.

LittleVoice

You do not need to be a limited company to have a business bank account in what amounts to your "trading" name.
You will need to make an appointment with a bank and take evidence of your real identity. Explain what your business is and, if they judge you to be credit worthy, you would have an account in that name.

Degenerate

LittleVoice wrote: »

You do not need to be a limited company to have a business bank account in what amounts to your "trading" name.
You will need to make an appointment with a bank and take evidence of your real identity. Explain what your business is and, if they judge you to be credit worthy, you would have an account in that name.

The problem with this is such accounts are usually labelled in the style "Joe Bloggs Trading as Henry Winklebottom", and the OP stated they do not want their real name to appear.

ironlady2022

I agree with coolesticeking - banks will DEFINITELY NOT ALLOW your stage name on a personal account due to money laundering purposes and ID. Unless you change by deed poll. The only way to set it up is through business and the name of your business is your stage name, it won't say X trading as X. You designate name on account! You may be looking at business fees though.

rb10

Degenerate wrote: »

The problem with this is such accounts are usually labelled in the style "Joe Bloggs Trading as Henry Winklebottom", and the OP stated they do not want their real name to appear.

When opening my business account I got the choice of what appears on my card and chequebook.

Loughton_Monkey

rb10 wrote: »

When opening my business account I got the choice of what appears on my card and chequebook.

I think I'll change my name to P O Counters.

EarthBoy

Lots of actors use stage names, so perhaps Equity could give you some advice on this.

LP87

Hi guys,

Sorry for not replying sooner, I haven't had 'net access.

Basically I've sorted it! I didn't really mind what type of account I had it was more what name it was under so got a really competitive deal with my current account provider by mentioning I may move my current account to another provider who had better business rates. I have 2 years fee-free banking on a business account under my professional name, which is exactly what I wanted. My card, my cheque book and bank account (if someone else pays in to it) all say my professional name, but the paperwork comes to my legal name. This is spot on - I'm happy with it, the bank is happy with it.

Thanks for all taking the time to reply and help me out with this, I now have the resolution I wanted.

Take care!

LP87