Child support

[pollo1979]

Hi to all of you beautiful ladies.. Maybe someone in here knows or might be able to guide me with my situation. I am a single mother going to my 5th month of pregnancy, I found out I was pregnant and told my partner what was going on and to my surprise he disappear on me.. He finally call me one day to tell me he was not ready that he was back with his ex and all of this meaning the baby was not in his plans that this would change everything for him, that he knew that I was a strong woman and u could do it on my own.. I know for a fact that I can do it but he needs to be there for the baby no matter what,I am planning on filing for child support but don't know how to go about it.. Do I have to give my baby how last name? Do we have to go to court?? I need some advise.. Thank you!!

[Debie19]

I agree with chloegc1023!! If u make him pay child support, he WILL have rights to your child. In the state of FL where I live, it's 50/50 split between parents. Meaning that you have the child for 50% of the time and the father has the child for 50% of the time. Most of the time, the men don't even pay the child support and u still have to go through a bunch of legal hoops all because his name is on the birth certificate. Not worth it to me at all

[bre2014]

Im in Texas and will also b filing for child support..I told the father as soon as I found out I was pregnant he was upset because I didn't go through with the abortion...37 weeks later and he's still not around....as soon as my son comes into the world ill b filing

[chloegc1023]

One more thing, if u never name him as the father on the birth certificate he will never have any paternal rights to the child whatsoever!!!  That means u can do whatever is in the BEST interest of your child, because you will be the one taking care and not him.  Why would you give a deadbeat an ounce of paternal rights when he already said he doesn't intened on being there for the child?  If you do that then, you will need his permission for anything legal you want to do with the baby such as medical, or traveling out of state orout of the country, you will need to track him down just to get his permission...  That is a slew of trouble to go through.  Since you will be the sole provider, you make all executive decisions!!  You already said you'll be fine, without him, so spare yourself the trouble.  I'm sorry to be so blunt, but I went through what you are about to go through and I wish I saved myself the trouble.  

[chloegc1023]

Child support is such a joke!!  U can file for child support but that doesn't mean the father will pay.  I know this for a fact cuz my son's father was in and out of his life for the first 18 mos of my son's life, he paid child support when he felt like it.  If then when I met my husband when my son was 3 the father disappeared.  he racked up over 20k in child support got his income tax garnished and his license revoked, but he still owes over 20k, probably almost 30k by now.  I am NOT counting on ever seeing that money since the father is MIA.  It's better to not even have a deadbeat lame excuse of a father in the child's life.  As it will damage the kid and somehow the kid will feel responsible for the whole thing.  Luckily my son was spared the confusion and doing just fine without ever having seen his father again since he was 3.  If I could turn back, I would have spared myself the trouble of giving a deadbeat the chance to be a father.  I also would have given my son my own last name as now I have to file a petition to change his name and that's alone is going to cost $400 just for filing fee. I also had to file for sole custody which thankfully was granted to me without and contest.  But I would have saved the trouble if I had known from the get go like you do that the father will not be there for your child.  Spare yourself the trouble and the baby the confusion along with all the legal troubles you will have to go through just to get that deadbeat to man up.  Just telling it like it is!!

[21leeann]

No the baby doesnt have to have his last name & he doesn't have to be on the birth certificate. You always can file for child support at ur local welfare office if he doesn't have a job welfare will assist u with funds(TANF) until he gets a job. The only way they will give a paternity test is if he deny the child being his child. Just let them know he refused to help u and ask about check garnishment!

[mommyof_1]

You have to wait until the baby is born.

[pollo1979]

Thank you for your kind response.. I know for a fact that he will not be around, so my first step is to go to the child support office, correct?? Can I do this now or I have to wait until my baby is born?

[aclark81]

No you don't have to give the baby his last name but if he does not sign the birth certificate paperwork they will do a paternity test then add u is name if he is found to be the father. Yes you will have to get a court order through the child support office. The child support office does everything for you. I work for a child support office so if you have any other questions let me know.

[mommyof_1]

And if he doesn't have a job they'll base his child support amount off what he made at his last job. Atleast that's what they do where I live.  

[mommyof_1]

You have to file through family court.  And unless you could settle on something most likely you will have to go to court. And your baby can have your last name he just needs to be on the birth certificate. And if he tries to deny the baby the court will give him a DNA test.