Establishing paternity provides fathers, mothers and children with a number of benefits. If you live in Lee County, or anywhere else in the state of Florida, it is important to understand the advantages of paternity establishment. Whether you sign an Acknowledgement of Paternity form or take a DNA test, establishing legal fatherhood is crucial.
According to the Florida Department of Revenue, fathers who have established paternity can have more of an influence when it comes to certain legal decisions in their child’s life. If you are a father who establishes paternity, you will also be able to obtain a custody or visitation order. In addition to legal matters, establishing paternity may help a father have a better relationship with their child and be more involved in the child’s life. By establishing paternity, a child’s birth certificate will also reflect the name of his or her father.
On top of various benefits for the father, paternity establishment can also be very advantageous for a child. For example, identifying a child’s legal father may allow the child to gain access to inheritance, Social Security, financial support and veteran’s benefits. Furthermore, children who have legal fathers are able to review vital family medical data and may be eligible to receive health insurance coverage as well. Moreover, it can be very beneficial from a psychological standpoint for a child to know who their father is.
Please understand that this piece was put together to shed light on the benefits of establishing paternity and is not to be interpreted as legal advice.
