If only it were that simple. For most people, the process is too complex and expensive, one or both parties are often unreasonable while and a fair resolution unlikely. You don't get what's fair or equitable in life, you get whatever the judgement says you get, based on some arbitrary formula designed to process the herd. If you can't afford a lawyer, you're SOL. If that doesn't break the straw that holds the camels back, you have some scornful ex-spouse manipulating, lying, sucking the life out of you and turning your kids against you. That's why people write it all off and walk away. They're probably emotionally, physically and financially drained and/or depressed from the start anyway.
That's just one side of it. I'm sure there are extremes in the other direction. The system is far from perfect - there's way too much beauracracy. Perhaps a better system would be a dependent income tax. When the dependent is born, the mother fills out the birth certificate with the name and SIN number of the father along with a DNA sample. The father is then notified of the designation by the mother and allowed 60 days to challenge the designation by submitting a DNA sample. Once a father is designated, a dependent tax is deducted based on income. If the father lives with the mother and files jointly, a matching credit would be available as an offset. If not, there is no deduction and the tax is witheld at source and the government sends the custodial parent a direct deposit every two weeks. We all know what happens if you don't pay, file a false return or get caught evading taxes.
