Paternity determination is the process of confirming that the biological father of a child is also their legal father; it's particularly important for unmarried parents. This is important since, legally speaking, the two are different. The biological father of a child doesn't have the right to make important decisions concerning their child if they aren't the child's legal father too. If you have a child with a woman you aren't married to, here are four reasons you should consider paternity determination:
Enables the Child to Inherit from Relatives
You obviously want the best for your child, even after your death. Your child's future financial security can gain some boost when they inherit assets not only from you but also from the relatives from your side of the family. Do you think your grandparents are going to leave anything for the child if you can't even recognize the child as yours? In short, recognizing your child makes them more likely to inherit from your relatives.
Helps with the Child's Psychological Growth
Your child gets a huge psychological and emotional boost when they know you have recognized them as your child. For example, a positive parent-child relationship and parental association help the child to develop their self-esteem and appreciation of others. This is especially true for young kids, but it is beneficial at all ages. Moreover, when you recognize a child as yours, you will spend more time with them than you would if you didn't recognize them as yours. This helps in their psychological development.
Helps the Child to Know Their Relatives
A child also needs to interact with their family members and relatives to develop socially. It's unlikely that your child will interact with relatives from your side of the family if you don't recognize the child as yours. Recognizing the child as yours allows them to know and interact with their uncles, nieces, and grandparents, among other relatives. This helps with their emotional development.
Government Benefits
Lastly, legal recognition of your child also allows them to receive government benefits due to their relationship with you. For example, Social Security Administration (SSA) provides benefits to children of workers who die or become disabled. This is a straightforward affair if you have recognized the child as yours. However, it becomes complicated for children who don't have their parents' official recognition. The child may have to prove first that you are their legal father, something that might require more time and money than the child has.
For more information, talk to a professional like Caldwell Kennedy & Porter.
