Name Change Question: post AOS / pre Removal of Conditions

[ecuanovios 0]

My wife came to the US one year ago on a K1 Visa.

I am happy to report that we just received her new Conditional Green Card in the mail without having to endure another interview/interrogation in order to adjust status, because her file was sent to California. Now I plan to go down to the Social Security Office to get her a new SS card that doesn’t say “Valid for work only with USCIS authorization.” It occurred to me that before we go down and sit in that awful SS line for 3 hours, we should also take advantage of the trip and get her name changed. As I checked my old notes from AOS, I came across an old VJ post that I had saved regarding when to do the name change:

“If you want your name changed, file the 1-751 to remove conditions in your now married name. That way when your approved, you will receive the green card in the married name, this way you don't have to change name with the form 1-90 and pay a fee of 450.00.”

Is this true?

I guess my primary question is, is the timing just right? Or did I miss the boat?

Am I going to get charged $450 to get her name changed right now?

If I get her name changed tomorrow, do we have to immediately file an application to change the name on her Conditional Green Card?

*As I write this question, I think the answer is becoming quite clear...you're gonna tell me YES I have to pay $450 to change the green card name immediately, particularly if we want to travel abroad between now and submitting her petition to remove conditions. Perhaps the answer for us is to wait on the name change, and legally change her name a month before we submit the petition to remove conditions in January 2015.

Thanks in advance.