Trying how to deal with finding out your child is not yours can be very stressful and painful, especially when you are not sure how you can handle the situation.
See How to Deal With Finding Out Your Child is Not Yours
There are several things you can do to reduce the pain and get through the experience.
Disestablish Paternity to Avoid Financial Obligatedness
Whether you are a parent or a parent’s lover, you may have the desire to disestablish paternity to avoid financial obligatedness. A paternity presumption is a legal presumption that one parent is the biological father of a child.
Also read: “How to Respond When a Daughter Hurts Her Mother.”
Presumptions have a significant impact on child support and child custody. If the presumption is challenged, the court must consider the best interests of the child. The court can consider overturning the paternity finding or it can issue orders addressing child custody, child support, and other related matters.
Paternity determinations are often based on genetic testing. Genetic testing is a relatively inexpensive and reliable procedure. Any party involved in a paternity proceeding may request genetic testing. The costs of the testing are paid by the party who is filing the petition. The court must order the genetic testing if it is requested.
A parent who is seeking to disestablish paternity must have sufficient evidence to support their claim. It is important to follow the specific procedures set forth in the law. Depending on the state, the procedures may involve administrative processes.
Discontinue Child Support Payments
Depending on the state you live in, you may be able to discontinue child support payments. If you are a custodial parent, you may request that the non-custodial parent continue to pay you until your child turns 18.
If you have a child with a disability, you may be able to request that your non-custodial parent continue to contribute to your child’s medical needs. If your child has a disability, you will need to provide evidence that your child has the condition before you can request the continuation of support.
There are many states that allow you to request a continuation of support for a disabled child. This is a legal process, and it is a good idea to seek legal counsel to determine whether you can qualify.
If you are the custodial parent, you will need to file a Request for Continuation of Support form. The non-custodial parent is not permitted to respond to this written request. The Request for Continuation of Support form must be received at least 45 days before your child’s 19th birthday.
Legal Guardianship
Choosing a guardian can be a difficult decision. However, it is important to choose someone who can provide the best care for your child. There are a number of reasons that a parent may be unable to raise a child. These include the death of a parent, incapacitation of a parent, or the inability of a parent to provide for the child.
A guardian can step in to take care of a child if no parent is available. A guardian can make legal and physical decisions for a child.
The guardian will be responsible for the child’s health, welfare, and education. If the child possesses valuable assets, the guardian will need to manage these assets carefully. The guardian must get approval from the court before spending the ward’s money. The guardian will have to put the protected person’s assets in a “blocked account” until the court gives permission.
In addition to managing the child’s welfare benefits, a guardian will also need to care for the child’s personal possessions. The guardian will also need to pay the costs of a guardianship.