How to Use the Parentage Claim Deadline Calculator
Whether a parentage action can still be filed depends far more on the facts of the case than on a single number. Pick the rule that matches your situation, enter the controlling date, and the calculator shows the deadline and how much time is left.
Parentage is governed by state law. The widely adopted Uniform Parentage Act 606(a) lets a proceeding be started at any time where the child has no presumed, acknowledged or adjudicated parent, while section 608 cuts off challenges to a presumed parent two years after birth. When the parent has died, the claim usually runs through the state probate code, where notice-based windows are often only a few months, so the custom option is there for that.
Figures are current as of September 2026 and states amend these statutes regularly. Check your own state parentage act and probate code before relying on a date.
This calculator is for reference only and is not legal advice. Consult a licensed family law or probate attorney in your state about your specific situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Often not. Section 606 of the Uniform Parentage Act allows a proceeding to adjudicate parentage of a child with no presumed, acknowledged or adjudicated parent to be started at any time, even after the child becomes an adult.
The claim usually moves into probate, where state law sets its own windows for establishing heirship and for creditor or interested-party claims. Those periods are often measured in months after notice, so act quickly and use the custom option.
It can, but each consequence has separate rules. Back child support, inheritance shares and Social Security survivor benefits are decided under different statutes and may have their own time limits.