Q: My girlfriend wants to keep the baby but I don’t want to be a part of its life, what are my rights?
I may have gotten my gf pregnant, however there is a possibility that one other guy might be the father. I don’t feel that either of us is ready for a child. She wants to keep it, but I don’t want to be a part of the child’s life. What does it mean to wave my parental rights? Will I have to pay child support? I don’t have a source of income, will that affect how much I would have to pay in child support?
A:
Thank you for your question. I am happy to assist.
I understand your concerns relating to being financially responsible for a child. First, it is critical that you be determined to be the parent of the child. This is generally established by the signing of a certificate of parentage or via a Court Ordered paternity test. If you are determined to be the parent, you will have an obligation to support the child, however, there are options to terminate your parental rights and sever all ties to the child. Termination of parental rights has a tremendous legal impact on future ties with a child and it would be wise to discuss your case with an experienced family law attorney.
I hope this information was helpful to you.
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