Add father`s name to Birth Certificate
According to data provided by the National Center for Family and Research, almost 23% of children are raised in the single-parent families. The overwhelming majority of those children are being raised only by their mothers (the percentage of single-father families is as low as 2%).
These females found themselves in such a situation for various reasons: some of them divorced their husbands, others have never got married, so the woman had no choice but to give birth and raise the child on her own. This could happen due to different reasons:
• The couple had separated before the woman gave birth to a child and the father does not want to liaise with the former partner, or he refuses to acknowledge that he is a biological father of the child.
• The child was conceived as the result of adultery and the father does not want to acknowledge the child in order not to ruin his legal family.
• The father got imprisoned for committing a crime before the birth of the child.
• The father died while serving in the military or while being on duty (policeman, firefighter).
There are also situations where the child is born before the couple gets married:
• The couple is currently in a difficult financial situation or they are saving for a beautiful wedding ceremony.
• The father serves in the military and he is currently engaged in a long-term overseas campaign.
• The father currently serves a prison sentence.
• The couple is going through a difficult stage in their relationships and can't decide whether they want to be together or not.
The list of reasons can go on and on, and the purpose of this article is to explain all nuances about the necessity of including the father's name in the Birth Certificate of their child. It is a rather complicated issue and women should be aware of their rights and obligations, as well as of the potential benefits that come from including the father's name on the Birth Certificate.
Is it necessary to include father's name in the Birth Certificate?
We can tell you straight away that the women in the United States are not legally obliged to mention the father of the newly born child in the Birth Certificate. The nurse or another member of the hospital staff will ask you whether you want to include the name of the father in the certificate, and it is your right to exclude him from this paper.
In that situation, the corresponding box in that document will be simply left blank or the phrase “Father Unknown” will be written.
However, you should be aware of the fact that by refusing to mention the name of the biological father, you could deprive your child of certain social benefits to which the child with a known father is entitled.
Child support
Even if the father of the child chose to live separately, he could still be legally obliged to provide material support for the child until he or she reaches the legal adulthood. The Census Bureau Reports state that the average child support check in the United States amounts to $500 per month, given that the father is legally employed. Certainly, it is not a fortune, but this sum may be sufficient to cover the basic child's needs, like food and clothing. Each state in the U.S. has its own legal framework regarding calculations of child support payments, so the actual numbers may differ.
Father's medical history. We all know that certain diseases, both physical and mental, could be inherited by the child from his/her parents, so it is crucial to have access to father's medical history in order to be aware of possible health issues in his family.
Pension and inheritance. In the event of father's death, his legally acknowledged child will be entitled to a number of social benefits, such as veteran's pension (if the child's father was killed during the service).
The child, or the mother on child's behalf, can also claim the inheritance, especially if the child is the only descendant by blood.
Does father have legal rights if he is not on the Birth Certificate?
If, for some reason, the father was not included on the birth certificate, he can still exercise his legal right for child-raising in case he signs an affidavit of paternity or proves his paternity in court.
How to add father's name to the birth certificate?
The father's name can be added to the birth certificate on the day of child's birth. In that case, the father has to be present at the hospital and sign the document called the Acknowledgment of Paternity.
Otherwise, the father has to sign the mentioned affidavit of paternity before the child comes of age (18 or 21 years). In that case, the necessary amendments will be made in the certificate by the corresponding authority.