If you a teenager who becomes pregnant, it is amazing how much this news will change your life; but not just your life will change. Your parents, your boyfriend, your boyfriend’s parents and many others will be affected by an unplanned teenage pregnancy, plus child support might need to be paid and plans for college may need to be changed.  If you choose to keep the child and not place it with an adoption agency, and you don’t believe in abortion, there are some important things you need to learn – and quickly.

First of all, if you’re the girl who got pregnant, your life will change most dramatically.  Even with help from your family, you will bear the primary responsibility for raising your child.  But just because you are dealing with a teenage pregnancy doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get child support.  When it comes to family law issues, teenagers are some of the least informed of all citizens.  However, child support is something you should learn about quickly. 

In the state of Colorado, the father of your child is just as obligated as you are to support your child.  If you will be living at home, the state might require him to pay support from the earnings of a part time job.  But the amount of support may change after a while, requiring a radical change in plans for teenage parents.

If you ‘re the guy in this equation, and you’re wondering how your girlfriend’s decision to keep the baby affects you, it may depend on her parents.  In reaction to their daughter’s pregnancy, some parents would rather not get involved in these adult legal issues.  Instead, they come up with a plan of how the child will be raised until their daughter is old enough to assume full responsibility.   Unless you are required to submit to a paternity test by a Colorado court, the whole matter may seem rather simple at first.   However, your parents may want to make financial arrangements for child support voluntarily. 

Unless teens are over 18 years of age, decisions about how their child will be raised will often fall on their parents, but these matters may ultimately land in the hands of the child’s parents.  If you are concerned about teenage pregnancy and child support, it may be a good idea to consult with an attorney now instead of wishing you did later.  To learn more about this topic, read “Teenage Pregnancy and Child Support – What You Need to Know”, a blog on the Marrison Law Firm’s web site. 

 

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