5 Lesser-Known Benefits to a Paternity Test

Knowing your child’s paternity and being able to prove your child’s paternity are two very different things. For a monogamous couple, this issue may never arise and the issue of paternity may not be an issue at all. For those times, however, when the paternity of a child may be unknown, being able to get a free paternity test can be very helpful. For an unmarried couple, it can be very important for a father to establish paternity early on in order to prove a legal relationship with a new baby. By doing this early in the child’s life, most fathers are able to have more of a relationship with the child as he or she grows up, meaning they will miss out on less while waiting for future testing.

According to the makers of the home paternity test HomeDNA, the basic benefits of paternity testing include establishing identity as one of the child’s parents, being able to be legally listed on a birth certificate, and being able to prove that as such, you have a right to be a part of your child’s life. There are, however, a few other benefits that come with paternity testing as well. Here are 5 benefits that are often overlooked.
1.  Name
By gaining legal proof of paternity early, you may be listed on your child’s birth certificate as the child’s father. With the proof of a paternity test, this cannot ever be argued with. No matter what may happen later on between you and the mother of your child, your relationship with your child can not be contested because you have started off early and with proof of your fatherhood.
2.  Medical
The medical benefits from paternity testing last a lifetime. Just as a child may look in the mirror from time to time and wonder about who was responsible for their long eyelashes, freckles, or toothy grin, later in life, they may look into the same mirror and wonder about medical issues. By being listed and having proof of paternity, your child will be able to come to you and ask about medical issues in your family line to see if they may have inherited any medical conditions. They may also be able to benefit by gaining medical insurance with proof that they are your child.
3. Benefits
Along with medical benefits, there are other forms of financial benefit that may come through paternity testing. These include Social Security benefits if you are deceased or disabled, life insurance and possible veteran’s benefits as well. By having legal proof that a child is yours, you may be providing many unexpected types of benefits to your child for years to come.
4. Permission and consent forms
As difficult as it may be to imagine, when looking at a brand new baby, there will come a day when they will be enrolled in school and need a parent to sign a virtual mountain of papers. Without a legal link established between you and your child, you may not be allowed to sign school consent forms, report cards or even permission slips for field trips. Schools today are extremely cautious about legalities and you may even find it impossible to pick up your child early from school for a scheduled visit if you are not legally listed as a parent or guardian.
5. Paternity Leave
In 1993, President Clinton signed a new national law. This law enabled people to take time off of work if they needed to take care of themselves or members of their family. This provided a way for both parents to take time off of work with a new baby or even an adoption. It also may cover time to take off of work if a child is seriously ill or injured. In a serious case, an employer who qualifies must give up to 12 weeks off in a year for health reasons. This time does not have to be paid, but in a case where a child may need a parent with them in a time of sickness or injury it may provide much peace of mind to know the parent will not lose their job. As a general rule, in order to qualify for the family leave act, you must be a legal parent or guardian, which might require a paternity test.
Paternity testing today is easier than ever, with home test kits available for little or no cost in some cases. The benefits from being able to prove paternity are many, ranging from knowing about heredity medical issues to being able to sign a field trip permission form. If you have been thinking about ordering a home test, do not delay your benefits or those of your child for one more day.
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