St. Louis Divorce Lawyer Answers: What is a Prenup?

A prenuptial agreement, or prenup, is an agreement that is drawn up sometime before a couple gets married.

For some couples, a prenup is a highly controversial issue and can lead to some hard feelings. If only one partner is asking for a prenup, it might feel to the other as if either the first partner doesn’t trust the marriage, or that they don’t trust that their partner will play fairly should things not work out.

The sad reality is that as many as 50% of all marriages end in divorce. Although when people say “I do,” they might mean it, at some point they might change their mind to “I don’t anymore.” When that happens, things can get complex, pretty quickly.

A prenuptial agreement is an agreement that is drawn up sometime before a wedding. It is an agreement about who gets what assets if the marriage should ever end in dissolution (divorce). Typically thought of as something that only happens among the rich and famous who use a prenup to keep gold diggers at bay, a prenup agreement can actually be one of the best ways to prevent a divorce for some couples. For others, it is a great way to stop divorce from getting contentious and ugly.

Prenuptial Agreements

A prenuptial agreement (prenup) is an agreement in which a couple decides what will happen to the assets if the marriage doesn’t work. It also dictates what happens if one spouse should die, so it can double as a will since it protects the assets of the other person.

Most people think of a prenuptial agreement as only being beneficial to the person who enters the marriage either with more assets or a wealthier financial situation, but a prenup is also offering great security for the person who earns less. Realistically knowing what you are entitled to should anything happen in a marriage gives both parties a greater understanding of the big picture.

How to Approach Your Partner about Having a Prenup

To make sure that there is no animosity for asking for a prenuptial agreement, it is a good subject to bring up while you are still in the dating stage. Getting used to the idea is easier when emotions aren’t high and the relationship has progressed so far that a prenup conversation may raise suspicions.

If you know that you are going to want to protect your assets and to plan out what each partner is entitled to, no matter who you marry, then a prenup is always a good thing to discuss before your wedding day. You don’t want your prenuptial agreement to be the reason for your break up before you are even married.

Then again, if having a conversation about a prenuptial agreement breaks up your relationship before the marriage occurs, there might not have been strong enough communication to make it through the peaks and valleys that every marriage will experience in the first place. Knowing how your partner will react before you are too invested is a safety risk.

St. Louis Family Law

At The Betz Law Firm, we are committed to guiding our clients through the court process with the same level of professionalism that we would wish for our own family members. We are aware of the trust our clients’ place in us with the future of their family and we strive daily to earn it. St. Louis family law issues can affect just about any aspect of your life, from your financial situation, to where you are going to live, or even how much time you are going to have to spend with your minor children. With so much at stake, you should not settle for anything less than the best legal representation possible.

St. Louis Family Law – Call The Betz Law Firm now at (314) 801-8488