How do you give your rights up?

You must have the permission of a judge, but will still have the responsibility of child support.

Generally you don't. Relinquishing parental rights is a serious business and rarely granted except to clear the way for an adoption.

Why would I still have to pay childsupport if I give up my rights?

Because parental RIGHTS are different than parental RESPONSIBILITIES.

You have a right to make decisions on behalf of your child (which school, medical treatment, etc)

You have a responsibility to make sure your child has food on their table, a roof over their head, heat, etc--which is what child support is for.

Do you really think there would be people sitting in jail for not paying child support if it were as easy as signing away your rights?

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Originally Posted by Jaymo5

why would I still have to pay childsupport if i give up my rights?

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Because your rights and your obligations are two different things. If getting out of paying child support were as easy as giving up your rights then just about every non custodial parent would do it.

But the taxpayer shouldn't have to pay to support your child because you are a deadbeat. So the courts do not allow you to relinquish rights so easily. And even where they do, they don't relieve you of your obligations to support your offspring.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jaymo5

why would I still have to pay childsupport if i give up my rights?

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Its your kid... Its YOUR responsibility.

If it was as easy as "giving up your rights" there would not be jails full of dead beat dads who will not pay their support. They would have merely given up their rights long ago to not go to jail.

Your rights are just that rights, ability to visit, ability to have a say in the child's life and the right to be prt of your child's life.

Your responsibility is to pay child support as a percent of your income, to pay for additional medical costs and to pay for part of the college costs.

And if the child or the custodial parent receives welfare, the state can also come after the non custodial parent for some of those costs.

The only real exception is where the custodial parent has a partner willing to adopt the child, then all future support will end, but many times back support will still be owed.