If the parents were not married, legal paternity must be established. This is important for:
- Creating a support order for the child.
- Obtaining health insurance, if it is available through an employer.
- Protecting the child’s rights to benefits if the father dies, such as money or property left in a will, veteran’s benefits or Social Security benefits.
- Ensuring a link to the child’s past. Just the knowledge of the father’s name and of his medical history can help the child in years to come.
When a father agrees that the child is his, he signs a document for “voluntary acknowledgement.” When he doesn’t agree, the program will help him take steps, including genetic testing, to establish whether or not he is the father.
Read the full article from NJ Child Support's website here
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