In June, we celebrate Father’s Day. An opportunity to honor and celebrate the fathers in our lives or those who have played the role of father in our lives. The title holds a lot of weight in our families and in our communities, but the paternal role holds significant weight legally, as well.
Too many families end up in limbo due to a failure to establish legal paternity. The legal trapdoors fathers who never established paternity can fall into create a ripple effect for their children, and we want to be a part of changing that.
Establishing paternity does more than just solidify your role and rights as a father. Here are a few of the many reasons you need to do this today before it’s too late.
Guaranteeing access
First and foremost, establishing paternity guarantees you the right to see, support, and provide for your children. Some people wait until they are on the verge of separation or divorce before considering establishing paternity, but it’s better to be proactive than reactive in this case.
We’ve all heard the horror stories of a parent who took their child and left the other parent without any access or contact with their child. If you establish paternity, you protect yourself against this possibility and guarantee that barring a court order against it, you have contact and quality time with your child.
This also expands access to vital medical, financial, and educational information about your child. You get to be a part of these decisions when you hold legal ground as the father of your child.
Accepting responsibility
Being a father is a point of pride and an opportunity to be the best dad possible for your child. When you establish paternity, you establish a legal responsibility to care for and support your kids.
Should your relationship falter, the court may ask you to provide child support to provide for your child. This may seem like a burden to dig into your pocket and hand over money to your ex, but separation does not negate the financial commitment you made to your child. Establishing paternity, largely, means accepting responsibility for your role in your child’s life.
Protecting custodial and visitation rights
For whatever reason you and the child’s mother may not maintain a long-term relationship, Florida family courts will need to determine who holds custodial and visitation rights. This means time with your child. Failing to establish paternity could put your time at risk.
You lessen the risk of the court pushing your child into the foster care system if something happens to their mother. Establishing paternity and serving proudly in the role of a father puts you first in line for custody and visitation should the time come.
Ensuring a paternal identity and relationship
You are your child’s father. You made the commitment and deserve every opportunity to fulfill that commitment. Being able to put your name on your child’s birth certificate on day one and being there for the rest of their lives can bring great pride and joy.
When you legally establish paternity you are guaranteed an opportunity to establish and strengthen a father-child relationship that will be cherished. Our kids might not always communicate their affection for us, but good fathers are needed and always appreciated (even by stubborn teenagers).
At the Law Office of Ray Garcia, we proudly support fathers and believe in the importance of establishing paternity early. Wherever you’re at in your journey as a father, contact our law offices if you need to establish paternity in Florida.
Law Office of Ray Garcia, P.A.
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