Few life events are more exciting than welcoming a new baby into your family. After all, children offer an immediate way for any parent to leave a legacy. Still, if you are not confident your son or daughter is biologically yours, you may have lingering doubts that complicate a variety of matters.
According to some estimates, there are roughly 400,000 paternity tests conducted in the United States every year. While requesting a paternity test may be difficult, it also may be the best way to achieve certainty. Here are four times paternity testing usually makes sense:
1. You want to pursue child custody
If you plan to pursue custody of your child, proving your paternity may be essential to your case.
2. You want your child to receive benefits
If you die, your child may be eligible to receive certain benefits. Of course, if you are not your child’s biological parent, your son or daughter may have a tough time with the application process. A paternity test may reduce the number of headaches your heirs face.
3. You want to help your child obtain an immigration status
Children of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents usually may apply for certain immigration benefits. If there is some question about your biological relationships, taking a paternity test may resolve them.
4. You want your child to have important information
As you likely know, genetics influence a variety of medical conditions. If you want your child to have as much information as possible about his or her background, taking a paternity test may be a wise choice.
Paternity testing can be an uncomfortable topic. Nevertheless, if you are not certain you are your son’s or daughter’s biological parent, requesting a paternity test may be the right thing to do for legal and other reasons.
