Multi-State Divorce & Family Law Blog by Stange Law Firm, PC

Around the country, forty percent of children are born out of wedlock. In some cases, when a romantic relationship between unmarried partners turns sour, a man may get shut out of his child’s life – which can have devastating effects on both the father and the child. In order to help unwed fathers have the opportunity to be in a child’s life, Missouri has established the putative father registry, which allows men who believe they are the father of a child to legally claim that child with the state. How the Registry Works Men who want to establish that they

According to a Charles Schwab Foundation’s Teens & Money Survey, only 48 percent of those surveyed said they understand how to budget their money, and 31 percent are already in debt to a person or company. It’s never too late to help your teenagers become financially literate and prepare them for the realities of adulthood. Walk them through the necessary steps to become financially solvent from making a budget to monitoring their credit. Here are some ideas to get your teenagers started. Create a Budget Your teens’ budget may vary depending on if you give them a fixed allowance to

There is a saying: “Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad”. This is especially true for dads who are divorced or in the process of divorcing. In definition, the terms father and dad are the same, but their implications have evolved over the years. The main difference is that a father is biological while a dad’s relationship is emotional, caring and nurturing. It is harder to commit to becoming a dad and play an active role in your child’s life. And in divorce, it is even more challenging to work with a

There are more than 70.1 million fathers in the US with 24.4 million involved in raising children under the age of 18, according to fatherhood government statistics taken in 2012. Approximately 1.96 million were single fathers; 16 percent of custodial single parents were men; 189,000 were stay-at-home dads, raising over 369,000 children. The growing trend is joint custody being awarded to both parents. The importance of a father’s presence in the life of their children is gaining ground. According to fatherhood.gov, “When fathers are involved in the lives of their children, especially their education, their children learn more, perform better

Recent scientific advances have consistently revealed the awesome power of DNA to unlock mysteries of the human condition. Some breakthroughs are indisputably landmarks: the advent of DNA “fingerprinting” databases, the mapping of the human genome, and of course…widely available home paternity tests? Yes, the ability to harness the dynamic force of DNA has moved beyond the laboratory and into the home. And, for those wondering just where junior got those blue eyes, a non-intrusive paternity kit available in a handy little package may be just what they are looking for. British Firms Cashing In Recently, Britain’s largest chain of pharmacies,

Four decades later, after research and hundreds of studies, statistics show that fathers who are active in their children’s lives largely determine their future success. Better social life, grades at school, and future achievements may result when there is a dad in a child’s life. In the article, “Why Kids Need Their Dads” by Steve Loyd, fathers’ contributions to their children’s wellbeing are explored: 1. Involved Dads = Successful children Dads effect their children from birth onward. According to studies by the Father Involvement Research Alliance, babies are more emotionally grounded; toddlers are better problem-solvers; and school-age children adapt better

The father-daughter relationship has far-reaching impact on a daughter’s psychological well-being and identity, even though it is a subject that is one of the most understudied. Although a daughter usually spends more time with her mother, her sense of self is often connected to how her father views her. Children crave stability and attachment, and girls have a strong desire for authentic connection. An adolescent girls’ need for emotional closeness can be seen in an in-depth analysis found in Carol Gilligan’s renowned book Meeting at the Crossroads: The Landmark Book About the Turning Points in Girl’s and Women’s Lives. Gilligan

Facing unemployment in this tough economy is challenging for anyone. For men, who still often feel the social pressure of being the primary breadwinner, it can be especially difficult. Families likely face financial strain and increased stress; a recent study also indicates that divorce is more frequent among couples where men are unemployed. The study published in the American Journal of Sociology found that the unemployment of men, even more so than dissatisfaction with the relationship, is a predictor of divorce. Husbands who were unemployed were both more likely to have wives who left them and more likely to initiate

Paternity is a legal term that means fatherhood. In the state of Missouri, if parents are married, the husband is automatically considered to be the father of a child born during the marriage. But, children whose parents are not married have no legal father unless the parents establish paternity. Around 40 percent of children in the United States are born out of wedlock, and in most cases these children are just as loved, well adjusted and healthy as those born to married parents. Yet, they do face one challenge that children with married parents do not: there are significant disadvantages

A child usually benefits from having two parents involved in his or her life. A mother or father’s parental rights should therefore only be terminated in rare circumstances, when the best interests of the child are fully considered and truly require it. But a current legislative proposal aims to make it easier for the parental rights of unmarried fathers to be terminated. If fathers fail to meet certain conditions, HB 1258 would allow adoptions to go forward without the father’s consent. The bill has already passed the Missouri House. Background of the Missouri Adoption Bill The bill was drafted in