Paternity means many things to many parents: love, support, even doubt. Legal paternity stands as one of the most vital actions parents can undertake to ensure their child receives full protection and support. If parents are together, they may not think much about the legal connection between a child and father.
The existence of this legal relationship plays a crucial role in matters such as custody rights and support obligations, as well as in creating a lasting emotional and financial connection between the child and the parent. For these reasons and more, parents and fathers in Missouri and nationwide have the right to establish paternity for the sake of the child’s future.
About Stange Law Firm
Since 2007, the Stange Law Firm has focused solely on family law, assisting parents in Missouri, Indiana, and beyond with paternity, custody, and child support issues. Our family law lawyers are aware of the emotional nature of these situations and the value of clarity for both parents and kids.
In order to assist families in establishing paternity, securing parental rights, and safeguarding the future of their children, we collaborate closely with local courts to provide you with the legal assistance you need.
What Does Establishing Paternity Mean?
Paternity is the legal determination of a child’s biological or legal father. When a child is born to married parents, the husband is presumed to be the child’s legal father.
If the parents are unmarried, the father must establish paternity by either signing a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity (VAP) or obtaining a court order. Once paternity is established, the father’s name is put on the birth certificate. Both parents are given rights and responsibilities under Missouri law.
From 2019 to 2023, 23.5% of children in Missouri lived in single-parent families. This was a decrease from the previous four years, during which 32.8% of children lived in single-parent families. This shows the importance of establishing paternity for families in Missouri.
Paternity Protects Father’s Rights
Unless paternity is established, a biological father has no right to custody or visitation. In fact, he has no rights at all to the child. This means that even if he is playing a very active role in his child’s life, he can be denied access to the child at any time, for any reason, with no legal rights to challenge that decision.
Establishing paternity, on the other hand, gives the father a legal basis in court to request custody, visitation, and decision-making rights, as well as the right to be consulted and to participate in major issues such as education, healthcare, and religious upbringing. For fathers who are serious about being in their child’s life, paternity is the first step towards legal recognition as a parent, not just in name, but in fact.
Establishing Paternity Provides Financial Security for the Child
Legal rights are just one part of establishing paternity. If paternity is legally established, both parents are responsible for financially providing for a child. Missouri calculates child support orders based on both parents’ income and the child’s needs.
Child support can be used to pay for housing, healthcare, school-related fees, and other basic needs. A single mother should be sure to have legal paternity on record so that she can provide her child with child support and a better quality of life.
The Child Can Have Access to Medical Benefits
Determining a child’s biological father has important health implications. A full family medical history helps a physician identify possible hereditary conditions, allergies, or genetic risks early in life. In some cases, medical insurance, veterans’ benefits, or Social Security benefits may be available to a child through his legal father. Children cannot access certain legal benefits without established paternity, even if the biological relationship is known.
Additional Benefits
Paternity goes beyond just financial and legal benefits. It can also provide emotional and mental security. Additional benefits that come with establishing paternity include:
- A sense of identity and belonging for the child
- More leverage with custody and parenting time, as the court would view the father as a parent and not a third party
- Reduced legal conflicts
- Inheritance rights for the child
- Greater say for the father in parenting decisions
The parents don’t have to be in a relationship to work together to establish paternity. When both parents cooperate to establish paternity, it demonstrates to the child that they are the priority.
FAQs
Q: Can Paternity Affect Child Support in Missouri?
A: Yes, paternity must be legally established before a court can order child support. Both parents have a financial obligation to the child, according to their ability to pay and the child’s needs. After paternity is established, the child is entitled to regular and consistent financial support to meet his or her needs, including housing, education, and medical care.
Q: Can a Father’s Name Be Added to the Birth Certificate After Paternity Is Established?
A: Yes, a father’s name can be added to the birth certificate after paternity is established. Once paternity is legally established (either by Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity (VAP) or by court order), the father’s name can be added to the birth certificate. This establishes a full record of the child’s parentage with both parents and can provide proof of the father’s legal parentage.
Q: What Happens if Paternity Is Disputed?
A: If the parents do not agree with paternity, the Court can order DNA testing. Genetic testing is a simple, noninvasive process, and the results are highly accurate. When genetic test results have been confirmed, the Court can enter a paternity order that determines custody, visitation, and child support rights under Missouri law.
Q: Why Should I Establish Paternity?
A: You should establish paternity because it provides rights to both father and child. A biological father lacks enforceable rights to custody or visitation in the absence of legal paternity. When paternity is established, fathers have the legal authority to participate in their child’s life, make parenting choices, and guarantee that their relationship will be safeguarded in the event of a disagreement.
Children have access to Social Security, health insurance, rights to inheritance, and both parents’ complete medical histories.
Contact Stange Law Firm Today
If you want to establish paternity, Stange Law Firm can help you do so and ensure that you and your child’s rights are legally protected. Contact us today for a consultation.