There’s No Such Thing as a Free Paternity Test
What are the hidden costs?
As you’re browsing through websites for DNA paternity tests and laboratories, you may see several websites offering “FREE” paternity test kits. Naturally, some of these labs are offering the free paternity kit to draw you into their facilities.
Use caution when approaching these types of laboratories. If you compare the prices between labs offering free or cheap paternity kits to those that simply include the kit in their overall cost, you may find the prices are very close and the services quite similar.
Make sure you are familiar with all of the other fundamentals that you should expect from any DNA paternity laboratory: confidentiality, professionalism, convenience and accreditation. In addition, if you require the test for legal purposes, the lab must follow the proper Chain of Custody procedure.
You Get What You Pay For
When choosing the laboratory to order a paternity test kit, keep in mind that you may get what you pay for. You should consider that determining the father of a child may be one of the most important questions and answers of your life. Given the gravity of a paternity test, it is recommended that you approach a laboratory that advertises itself as accredited, confidential, and professional, rather than a lab that promotes itself as offering a “free paternity test kit.” There are more important questions to consider when you realize that there really is no such thing as a free paternity test kit.
Most professional, accredited laboratories have similar price structures. The primary variables that will affect the price of a paternity test are the type of lab and service you choose:
- accredited versus non-accredited
- home versus legal paternity testing
What’s the Final Price?
Given that most reputable laboratories have similar prices, it is important that you weigh cost differences carefully and have an accurate final quote for the services you require. In addition to the initial advertised price offered by the lab, there may be hidden costs for a DNA paternity test.
DNA paternity labs often charge an extra fee for each person being tested – in other words, the initial fee may be $500, but the “plus” might be an additional $50 per individual (usually mother, alleged father, and the child). There may be delivery fees, test kit fees, or reporting fees. You might incur additional costs for more extensive testing when a trio-sample is not available, i.e. mother is unable to provide a tissue sample or if the alleged father is deceased.
It is recommended that you get an accurate final quote for all of the services you require, including the number of people you will require tested. If you are unsure who should be tested, be sure to ask the laboratory. Once you receive a quote, ask if there are any other costs that you might expect. Ask the laboratory to put the quote in writing for all of the services you need.
