Many don’t realize just how important it is to establish paternity, at least not until the unexpected happens. In California, establishing paternity carries many benefits to children and parents alike, and is not something that should be overlooked. This post goes over some of the more important reasons to establish paternity. If you have any additional questions, we encourage you to reach out to us directly to learn more.

Paternity is Legally Recognized by the Courts

Once paternity is established, this action creates inheritance rights alongside veterans and social security benefits. In addition, paternity opens the path to court-enforced custody and visitation orders. This can be critical, as it allows you to make legal decisions on the behalf of your child.

Paternity Can Carry Financial Benefits

In California, the amount of time that a parent spends with his/her child directly influences the amount that the other party is awarded. If you don’t have a proper child visitation order established, you can find yourself in a “child support trap” where the courts automatically award a maximized child support order.

Paternity Carries Medical Benefits and Implications

This is an important one, especially in this day and age of rising healthcare costs. A father can pass his medical benefits onto his children, but only when paternity has been legally established. There are other medical reasons for establishing paternity as well, including using the father’s medical history to test for and treat certain diseases and genetic traits.

Want to Learn More?

Remember that we at the White Oak Law are here to help. To schedule a initial consultation with a seasoned California family law attorney, we invite you to call our offices at your earliest convenience. We understand that these types of matters are difficult, emotionally-draining affairs, which is why we always strive to provide unmatched legal representation.