In my opinion I believe you should tell your daughter the truth. Don’t accept his offer.
If he wants to see your daughter take it to court and ask for supervised visits. Your daughter doesnt know him, therfore no judge with a right mind would just throw her in full blown visitations with him. It can be detrimental for her. He decided he wanted nothing to do with her since she was 13 months old. Even though he’s her biological dad, he’s a stranger. They will start slow with supervised visits, then go to an hour or so with them two alone, then to more hours. It’s a slow process. Baby steps will be taken so they can get ti know each other and to see how they do together.
You can get her into therapy so she can talk about it with someone who’s licensed and can speak on her behalf in court. Whether it be by letter addressed to the court or in person on the stand. Also as ask for her biological father to take some sessions with her. Eventually having all of you take sessions together. But, meanwhile all this is going on you will see if he really wants to be a part of her life or is just playing the part so his child support gets minimized and or terminated.
Don’t give in to his proposal. Both parents whether they are in the picture or choose not to be are both financially responsible for their child. Therfore, just because he chose he wanted nothing to do with being a parent doesnt mean you get to go scott free of having any responsibility. No judge would say, “since you dont want to be a part of your kids life you no longer have to pay child support”… it doesnt work that way. Now if he wants to give up his parental rights and or later again decides he wants to abandon ship again, let that be his choice. Dont make it for him.
When you take it to court, In your declaration state everything, and attach proof as exhibits.
Ultimately you need to do what’s best for your daughter and not what’s best for you or her biological father.
Let him sign the papers and forget his child support cause she has a daddy with your husband. But in the future I think you should tell her that her daddy is not her biological father.
This is about the child, not mom or dad. The child has a right to know her father, even if he has been absent. Let her see her dad, supervised at first. He will get tired and leave, but let your daughter see you didnt stop her, or you are in for a whole bunch of anger when she gets older.
If he’s been out of the picture for a while the courts may do a reunification plan. He may be required to go to therapy with the child and have supervised visits. The child may have a direct choice in visits depending on their age.
My thoughts are… if your now husband is playing the father role to your daughter than great! If her biological father agrees and doesn’t pay support, accept change her name and let your now husband adopt her and close that other door. If your wanting the child support than the biological father doesn’t have to agree to a name change and could be granted rights if he chose to go to court for access… Also ask your daughter how she feels? Best of luck