Absent Father

I would suggest putting his name on the birth certificate. If you do not, he is under no obligation to pay child support, nor to prove he is the father. If his name is on the certificate, however, it is up to him to prove he is NOT the father, at his expense.

If you and him come to a private child support arrangement, GET IT IN WRITING and WINZ should accept it. The child support part of the DPB is only $22 per week for one child, regardless of how much the father is paying to IRD.

I do not have my daughter's father on the birth certificate, as he disputes he is the father, and there is enough doubt due to weird preggy dates that I was not prepared to take the risk of naming the wrong man. Now, my husband wants to adopt Kiya, but we need her biological father's permission... which he is willing to give, if we prove he is the father.

You're welcome.

Yes, the DPB payment is a weekly lump sum containing: your acutal benefit, $49 family assisstance, $22 child support (which I didn't actually get - my choice), and any other special payments you may qualify for (such as rent assistance). Adds up to around $300 or so a week, give or take... might be a bit more, might be a bit less, depending on your circumstances.

I got $306, without child support, with Kiya.

Family Assistance is now up to $75 a week and the core benefit is around $240 or something.

I am on the DPB now and get $412 per week which includes $94 or so (can't remember how much exactly) accomodation assistance.

Don't add up those figures because they won't make sense, I can't remember exactly, but around that much anyway...

I think the deduction for not naming the father on the certificate is $26 now. And Emma is exactly right about the Child Support... it goes directly to the govt until it is over and above your benefit payment.

I'd personally advise to go through IRD for the child support problem... first of all, you get a lot of money on the DPB as it is (well, personal opinion, but $412 per week is more than enough for me to live) and then you don't have to be at him to pay the money or get into arguments about it as IRD administrates the whole thing. As soon as you are off the DPB, all the money goes to you and your child.

Edited by nikkiwhyte

i,m in the no dad zone i, am going to tell james that hes is very much loved but his dad was not mautre anef to be in his life and so on and so on and i am hoping that works also if he asks i will give him his dads name

At the moment I am not going to get child support as I can't find Hannah's Dad. I'm starting to think after reading these posts that I should continue to go after him.
Don't know.... stuck in a dilemma

Its def a hard one a guys!
I managed to get summers dad to pay child support or at least to be held responsible (long story, he's skipped to oz and hasnt actually paid anything, but he owes lots).

The dumb thing is, its only just really been sorted now cos he mucked the whole court process round (only to default on the dna test in the end) so now he has to back pay child support to when she was four weeks old, plus pay all his legal fees and the judge ordered him to pay mine too for mucking them round!!!!

So I kinda feel that the dads should be paying something, I might not be getting it now while Im on the DPB but eventually when Im working all the extra cash I can get will def help and stuff him cos he still has a life and everything, why should he get off scott free and I have to deal with it all!!!

I know that someones bound to say 'You chose to keep the baby' but in saying that, I couldnt go through with the abortion mentally so it wasnt so much a choice but what happens if you dont have an abortion - you get a baby!!!! (I love her though)

Okay, enough of my two cents, I think each to their own though as every situation is diff

Don't know what I'd do if I was in your situation Nikki, but I guess, you never know what he'll say unless you tell him. He could be really excited about it and be a great influence on Hananh's life - he could also be an ass and tell you to piss off.

ohh nicki dont be embrassed u have a very much loved little girl and u sound like a great mum and if he dosnt remeber u then he cant relly denin it can he

I agree Nikki, who could forget you!

And I guess if I was a dad I'd want to know, whether it was a five year relationship or a one night stand, these things happen! And he has a gorgoues little daughter now and maybe he might be a good influence on Hannah, who knows!

Dont feel embarrassed anyway, situations like this happen all the time, in the end I guess you've just gotta do what you think is best for you and Hannah.

James - I know Oz and NZ are meant to have a recipricol (spelling) agreement, where the fathers are meant to pay, but so far he hasnt paid anything and when I rung IRD I asked them if he'd even made contact and all they would tell me was they'd sent letters! So I dont even know if they sent them to the right address cos he moves round so much! And IRD didnt seem to give a toss really, great a! I was so frustrated!!!!!