This may come as a surprise, but it is estimated that up to 35% of men in the US are raising children who are not their own.
This large "unknown factor" can cause huge financial burden for mothers and alleged fathers. For these men, this could be the equivalent of up to 18 years of financial slavery. Now, on the other side, it is estimated that 75 million US children are living in a single mother household and many of their mothers are not receiving the child support payments they deserve.
Resolving this "unknown factor" can provide relief on both sides of this issue. DNA paternity testing can show, with greater than 99.999% accuracy, who the father of a child actually is. With this in mind, it's not surprising that the number of DNA paternity tests in this country has been increasing by almost 12% each year for the last 5 years.
This increase in demand has also increased the number of labs and companies willing to meet that demand. Unfortunately, they are all not created equal and I'd like to give some tips to help you avoid making an expensive mistake when shopping for a paternity testing company.
If you have unresolved questions about a biological relationship, the following four steps are just what you need.
Step #1 -Make a commitment to yourself to get the test done.
You owe it to yourself and the child to put any questions to rest. Plus, the result could help you get the child support or other benefits you need, or prevent you from paying child support for years to come. The most important step you can take towards resolving your unanswered questions is to take is the first step towards paternity testing.
Step #2 - List your objectives.
Are you interested just for curiosity's sake? Are there child custody or child support issues at stake? Is it possible that the results could be given to a lawyer or government agency at some point? Do you want to work with an honest, reputable, accredited company and lab - or are you willing to risk working with a company that offers the absolute lowest price, knowing that your samples may not have even been sent to a lab?
In order for a DNA paternity test to be considered legal and useable in court, the test has to be documented and sample donors must positively identified (by presenting a government-issued ID) and photographs and finger prints taken. The samples are carefully tracked and matched to each test participant through the entire DNA testing process.
On the other hand, at home tests or "curiosity" DNA tests are performed in the home with samples taken by the donors themselves. In this case there is no independent verification of who the samples came from and the lab would be unable to positively identify who the samples came from. The result from this type of paternity testing would not be admissible in court.
Step #3 - Ask questions.
The way you learn about a company is to ask specific questions and listen carefully to the answers. Here are 6 tough questions to ask your DNA paternity test provider:
1. What type of test do you recommend for my situation?
2. What laboratory do you use? Can I have their phone number?
3. What agencies have accredited your lab?
4. How do you keep my information secure and my test results confidential?
5. What training have your collection specialists had?
6. Can you explain your chain of custody procedures?
Step #4 - Call and get a quote.
Once you are satisfied that you are working with an honest, experienced company that stands behind their work, call and get a written price quote for the type of test you need, exactly the number of people you need tested, and the location(s) where the collections will take place. A written price quote gives you the assurance that you know exactly what your testing will cost - no surprises.
There is much more that could be discussed about the best way to go about paternity testing; but this is a good start. Just know that there are a multitude of issues that a paternity test could resolve including child support, child custody, tribal rights and benefits, immigration rights and benefits, etc. However, the most important thing you can get from a DNA paternity test is peace of mind that comes with knowledge of the facts. Once those facts are knows, all the other issues can be resolved. By following the steps outlined here, you will be well on your way to discovering the facts that are missing from your life.
So, if you have unanswered questions about a biological relationship do yourself a favor and put the steps above into action. As I said above, step 1 is the most important...Make a commitment to yourself to take action.
This large "unknown factor" can cause huge financial burden for mothers and alleged fathers. For these men, this could be the equivalent of up to 18 years of financial slavery. Now, on the other side, it is estimated that 75 million US children are living in a single mother household and many of their mothers are not receiving the child support payments they deserve.
Resolving this "unknown factor" can provide relief on both sides of this issue. DNA paternity testing can show, with greater than 99.999% accuracy, who the father of a child actually is. With this in mind, it's not surprising that the number of DNA paternity tests in this country has been increasing by almost 12% each year for the last 5 years.
This increase in demand has also increased the number of labs and companies willing to meet that demand. Unfortunately, they are all not created equal and I'd like to give some tips to help you avoid making an expensive mistake when shopping for a paternity testing company.
If you have unresolved questions about a biological relationship, the following four steps are just what you need.
Step #1 -Make a commitment to yourself to get the test done.
You owe it to yourself and the child to put any questions to rest. Plus, the result could help you get the child support or other benefits you need, or prevent you from paying child support for years to come. The most important step you can take towards resolving your unanswered questions is to take is the first step towards paternity testing.
Step #2 - List your objectives.
Are you interested just for curiosity's sake? Are there child custody or child support issues at stake? Is it possible that the results could be given to a lawyer or government agency at some point? Do you want to work with an honest, reputable, accredited company and lab - or are you willing to risk working with a company that offers the absolute lowest price, knowing that your samples may not have even been sent to a lab?
In order for a DNA paternity test to be considered legal and useable in court, the test has to be documented and sample donors must positively identified (by presenting a government-issued ID) and photographs and finger prints taken. The samples are carefully tracked and matched to each test participant through the entire DNA testing process.
On the other hand, at home tests or "curiosity" DNA tests are performed in the home with samples taken by the donors themselves. In this case there is no independent verification of who the samples came from and the lab would be unable to positively identify who the samples came from. The result from this type of paternity testing would not be admissible in court.
Step #3 - Ask questions.
The way you learn about a company is to ask specific questions and listen carefully to the answers. Here are 6 tough questions to ask your DNA paternity test provider:
1. What type of test do you recommend for my situation?
2. What laboratory do you use? Can I have their phone number?
3. What agencies have accredited your lab?
4. How do you keep my information secure and my test results confidential?
5. What training have your collection specialists had?
6. Can you explain your chain of custody procedures?
Step #4 - Call and get a quote.
Once you are satisfied that you are working with an honest, experienced company that stands behind their work, call and get a written price quote for the type of test you need, exactly the number of people you need tested, and the location(s) where the collections will take place. A written price quote gives you the assurance that you know exactly what your testing will cost - no surprises.
There is much more that could be discussed about the best way to go about paternity testing; but this is a good start. Just know that there are a multitude of issues that a paternity test could resolve including child support, child custody, tribal rights and benefits, immigration rights and benefits, etc. However, the most important thing you can get from a DNA paternity test is peace of mind that comes with knowledge of the facts. Once those facts are knows, all the other issues can be resolved. By following the steps outlined here, you will be well on your way to discovering the facts that are missing from your life.
So, if you have unanswered questions about a biological relationship do yourself a favor and put the steps above into action. As I said above, step 1 is the most important...Make a commitment to yourself to take action.
Discover how to avoid the 6 worst mistakes you can make when
choosing a DNA paternity testing company. I'll reveal how to get DNA
paternity testing performed properly, at the lowest possible price, with
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