Stepmother Putting Daughter on Medical

[Susanne]

My question involves a child custody case from the State of: Missouri

I had my daughter in 2003. Her father chose to quit talking to me when I was three months pregnant. He came back into her life when she was 7 1/2 months old do to a phone call I had made to him (very stupid of me). He is not on the birth certificate and she has my last name. I have had medical coverage taken care of for her since the day she was born.

Her dad has regularly taken her on tuesday/thursday afternoons for the past year when my daughter gets out of school at 11:30 am until I get off work at 5:00 and given me $250 a month. This past February he tried claiming her on his taxes until he found out he couldn't. His wife of a year wants to put my daughter on her medical coverage from a job she just started a couple of months ago. I told my daughter's father it isn't necesarry I have had her covered since the day she was born, not to mention he doesn't even know who her doctor is. He is now trying to go behind my back to figure out her social security number to put her on his wife's insurance. Can he do this? What is the step mom's role?

His name's not even on the birth certificate and nothing has ever been done through court to acknowledge this, what are his rights? Can you think of any alternative motives for him pushing the issue to get my daughter on his wife's medical insurance?

[LawResearcherMissy]

what are his rights?

Until paternity is legally established through the courts, he doesn't have any.

Get an attorney and have this taken care of through the courts.

[Susanne]

I don't really want to take anything to court b/c I really don't want to legally acknowlege him as the father, in case something happens to me. What can I do if he goes behind my back and put's my daughter on his wife's health insurance or opens any accounts in my daughter's name?

[Neal1421]

I don't really want to take anything to court b/c I really don't want to legally acknowlege him as the father, in case something happens to me. What can I do if he goes behind my back and put's my daughter on his wife's health insurance or opens any accounts in my daughter's name?

You do know that he can go to the court himself if he so chooses and establish paternity and there will be nothing you can do about it, don't you?

If he takes it to court, they won't have a problem with the child being on the stepmom's insurance, as long as she is covered.

Account are another issue though. What makes you think he would do that?

[Susanne]

If he wants to be put on the birth certificate all he has to do is ask. I won't argue with anyone that he is the father. He tried claiming her for taxes this past year and he keeps pushing the issue to get her social security number. I just recieved a message from him last night and today with him asking me for it. He says he is not going to do anything with it it's just "a matter of principle." If it's a matter of principle than why isn't he trying to get on the birth certificate? She already has health coverage, there is no need for double coverage. He doesn't even know her doctor's name for God's sake. Can he legally open accounts or put my daughter on his wife's insurance w/o my consent?

[LawResearcherMissy]

Did you read what Neal wrote?

If the child's father goes to court on his own and initiates paternity proceedings, you don't get to say No.

If paternity is legally established, yes, he can put the child on his insurance or his wife's insurance and he can open up custodial bank accounts for her.

[Susanne]

What if opening certain accounts aren't in the best interest of the child? I work for a financial advisor and he doesn't believe I should be opening any college savings plans for her, rather I should dump that money in my Roth IRA, which can be taken out tax free towards her schooling. If I open something in her name it can be used against her for financial aid purposes. I understand that he can make decisions to and he is the father I have never once denied that. I just don't want him making decisions about her financially without us discussing it first. I do not trust that he is thinking of her best interest. Just his and how he can recieve the tax return on her. I have never made any major decisions in her life (aside from when he chose not to be in her life) without talking to him first.

[LawResearcherMissy]

One last time: If paternity is legally established, he can open accounts without so much as whispering a word of it to you.

Until then, though, he has no rights AT ALL.