in massachusetts when does child support begin?
after 16 years i am being told i may be the father of a child. paternity has never been proven. i have to go for test to see if i am father. the state just started looking for me in this matter. I dont mind paying support (if test prove i am father). It isnt fair to the child or me though. If i knew i had a child i would love to have been in his life. I won custody of my son when he was 5 from a previous relationship. its not like i have been running and hiding from this, it just came up last month. I hope the court doesnt try to say i must pay for the last 15 yrs though. anyone have knowledge in massachusetts law in this matter? like i said i havent been adjudicated as father yet nor has a support order been ordered by a court yet. like i said had i known i had a child i would have gone for joint custody years ago. any help would be greately appreciated. please only respond if you have knowledge in this area of the law please.
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You can go to your states child support enforcement site and look up much of this information. You can consult an attorney. Normally if you are found to be the father the child support begins when the Judge enters the order. Prior maintenance may have been requested in the petition if so you will see it listed and it will be based on receipts the mother has for money she expended for this child for a set period determined by your state’s laws. If the child received public assistance (welfare) you will see it listed as a figure for past paid public assistance on the petition. The child support enforcement site also has the guidelines and forms used by your state for calculating support orders.
I am not sure in in Massachusetts, In Tennessee, they can go back to the date of the birth of the child. Your only argument in court if you are legitimated as the father, is why after so long. Is she just now filing, why has she never told you? Was she married? Has someone else supported the child, until now? You should contact a family law attorney in your area. He might be able to at least get the arrears adjusted for you.