There are various forms of fathers as recognized by law, and they have different child support obligations. Here are some of the common legally-recognized fathers and their child support obligations.
Step Father
A stepfather is a man who marries a woman who already has a child with another man. Ordinarily, the stepparent is under no legal obligation to take care of their stepchild; the stepparent can do so out of their free will. However, there are situations where a stepparent may be forced to provide child support for a stepchild; here are examples of such situations:
· The stepfather has adopted the stepchild
· The custodial parent (s) are unable to take care of the child
· The stepfather is still married to the mother of the stepchild, and they are living with the stepchild
· The stepfather has divorced the mother of the stepchild, but they were acting as their stepchild's father during the marriage, and the child depended on them
Acknowledged Father
An acknowledged father is an unwed man who has admitted to being the biological father of a child. There are different ways of admitting that you are the father of a child, for example, you may do it by:
· Making a verbal agreement with the mother of the child
· Signing a paternity agreement
· Giving your last name to the child
You are legally required to provide child support to your child once you have admitted to being their father.
Unwed Father
The unwed father is a man who has a biological child with a woman, but the two have never been married. An unwed father must pay child support for their child as long as they have acknowledged their paternity or it has been confirmed that they are the biological father of the child.
Presumed Father
A presumed father is a man who is assumed to be the father of a child even if they haven't been confirmed as the child's father. The court may make such an assumption about you and a child if:
· You were married to the mother around the time the child was conceived or born
· You have always acted and behaved as if the child is yours; for example, by giving them your name, calling them your child, and taking care of them
· You are married to the mother, and you have agreed to be the father of her child
As the presumed father of the child, you are obligated to pay child support for them, and it can be very difficult (though not impossible) to challenge this in court. Check out a website like http://www.cappolellalaw.com for more information and assistance.
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