While fewer and fewer people in the United States are getting married, the number of couples who choose to cohabit without getting married continues to grow. According to one organization, the number of people cohabiting across the country rose from about 14 million in 2007 to about 18 million in 2016, an increase of 29 percent. During this same period of time, among people between 18 and 34, the increase was about 24 percent, from 7.2 million to 8.9 million. The number of people between 35 and 49 who were cohabiting increased 20 percent, from 3.9 million to 4.7 million.
Overall, the organization claimed that about 1 out of every 10 people between the ages of 18 and 49 were living with a partner without being married to them. Statistically speaking, this means that there are going to be more unmarried fathers both in the Omaha area and throughout the rest of the country. Many of these men will live with their children’s mother and help her raise the family.
While this arrangement may work while the couple is getting along, should the couple split, the man may need to take appropriate legal action to establish his parental rights formally, oftentimes through a paternity action. Upon doing so, he will be able to ask a Nebraska court to create a parenting plan under which he can continue to see, care for and develop a relationship with his child. This process can be a complicated legal proceeding in its own right.
Men who find themselves in a child custody situation where they need court intervention should consider getting the assistance of an experienced Nebraska fathers’ rights attorney.