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Further
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Sending flowers for the loss of a friend or relative's loved one is never easy.
Sending flowers for the loss of a friend or relative's loved one is never easy. Generally people are unsure of what would be appropriate to send. To make this already stressful occasion a little easier on you, we have selected various appropriate...
What Went Wrong? When Relationships Go From Hot To Cold
Everything was great.
We had been dating for 6 months. We shared the same interests, felt very at ease together, had (often) discussed future plans and had even spent some of the holidays together. Our relationship seemed right on track and...
Get Started Managing Your Money
There are literally thousands of articles about how you should or should not manage your money. Myself and other well intentioned money saving wizards bombard you with ideas of all that you should be doing. However, if you are behind two ...
Candle Burning to Petition the Female Saints
Here they are, our Ladies of Mercy and Divine Benevolence. Petitioning the Saints for Special Favours has been a big subject in the chat rooms lately, so in the spirit of Christmas and the Goddess energies associated with these martyrs and...
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The Top 5 Reasons Why Unwed-Parents Must Establish Paternity
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Written By:
Detra Davis
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“It takes a village to raise a child” is more than an African proverb, and when the village is small and one parent is missing the task becomes even more challenging. Fortunately, being proactive and understanding your rights as a parent will help alleviate any issues that might arise as you take on the role of single parent. Every child has the right to a parent-child relationship with both parents, and all three deserve an opportunity to develop, enjoy and grow in the relationship.
Establishing Paternity
1. Every child has the right to know both parents and have the father’s name appear on the birth certificate. Voluntarily establishing paternity is not expensive and does not have to involve an attorney or attorney fees. Both parents may contact the State Department/Division of Vital Records and Health Statistics, Central Paternity Registry, or the Department of Community Health and request an Affidavit of Paternity. There may be a small fee for filing this document but it will ensure legal paternity is established.
Paternity Testing
2. Paternity testing is a series of genetic tests used to indicate the likelihood that a man is, or is not the biological father of a child. The most common method used today is DNA testing which are 99.9 percent accurate in determining that a man is not the father. The child can be tested at any age, and the DNA test is obtained by rubbing a cotton tipped swab on the inside of the check or DNA can be extracted from blood or other tissues. The court will determine who will pay for the paternity test. Laboratories performing paternity test should be accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB).
Financial Security
3. The law - continued below ...
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requires both parents support their children. This is true even if the pregnancy is unplanned. Children supported by one parent often do not have enough money for their needs. A child support order cannot be established if paternity is not proven.
Survivor & other Benefits
4. Medical and dental insurance may be available through the non-custodial parent’s employer, union, or military service. Medical assistance programs may be available through the local and/or state family/child assistance agencies. If something should happen to either parent, the child could qualify for Social Security, pensions, inheritance rights, veterans’ benefits and life insurance. Paternity must be established to receive these benefits.
Keep Track of Child Support Information
5. It is imperative that both parents, (the custodial and non-custodial) keep track of parent information, parenting time, (visitations), receipt of child support payments, court ordered or not, names of child support workers, attorney contacts, names of judges/referees, docket/court numbers etc. concerning the child support case. Remember to keep this information in a secure location and let someone you trust know where this information can be found in the event of an emergency.
About the Author
Detra D. Davis is a technical writer with over 20 years of experience. Author of A Matter of Record: Keeping Track of Your Child Support, she is a former Public Health Educator and has taught a number of workshops promoting the importance of establishing paternity and paying child support. Detra may be reached at www.supportingourchildren.com or by mail at J. Davis & Associates Publishing, P. O. Box 4935, Cary, North Carolina 27519-4935.
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Up until a couple weeks ago, our family always had an excuse not to volunteer our time. There always seemed to be a soccer game, family commitment, work obligation, or birthday party to get in the way of us spending our Saturday mornings...
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