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Who Must Pay Child Support
1. Is a father who never married the mother still required to pay child support?
The short answer to this question is yes. When a mother is not married, however, it's not
always clear who the father is. An "acknowledged father" is any biological
father of a child born to unmarried parents for whom paternity has been established by
either the admission of the father or the agreement of the parents. Acknowledged fathers
are required to pay child support.
Additionally, a man who never married the child's mother may be presumed to be the father
if he welcomes the child into his home and openly holds the child out as his own. In some
states, the presumption of paternity is considered conclusive, which means it cannot be
disproved, even with contradictory blood tests.
2. Is a stepparent obligated to support the children of the person to whom he or she is
married?
No, unless the stepparent legally adopts the children.
3. Do I have to pay child support if my ex keeps me away from my kids?
Yes. Child support should not be confused with custody and visitation. Every parent has an
obligation to support his or her children. With one narrow exception, no state allows a
parent to withhold support because of disputes over visitation. The exception? If the
custodial parent disappears for a lengthy period so that no visitation is possible, a few
courts have ruled that the noncustodial parent's duty to pay child support may be
considered temporarily suspended.
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