For many people, the identity of a child’s father is not established through an official legal process, but is instead assumed due to the parents' marital status. That is, a man is known to be a father because he is married to the child's mother. While this may be the case for the majority of dads, there are instances in which a child’s father must be legally identified. This is known as establishing paternity. In many cases, parents will forego establishing paternity to avoid making changes to their current lifestyle. However, these fathers often do not know the benefits and rights tied to establishing paternity.
Paternity Benefits
Establishing paternity comes with many benefits, some of which are personal, while others are financial. On a personal note, a child knowing his or her father can be important to the child’s identity and peace of mind. Some kids wish to know their father and build a relationship with him. Others simply need the information for a better sense of personal identity and to mitigate the uneasiness of not knowing their other parent. Knowing the identity of the biological father is also important for access to the father’s medical history. This can be helpful in predicting possible medical issues that come from the father’s bloodline.
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