Many people believe that prenuptial agreements are bad because they make it seem like you don’t trust your spouse. The truth is that a prenuptial agreement could make someone feel that way, but that’s not what it’s intended for. Prenuptial agreements have a place, especially in relationships where one person has more money or greater assets than the other.
The point of a prenuptial agreement is not to ban your spouse from ever obtaining any of the property accrued during your marriage or to keep him or her from being your equal. Instead, it helps define things like the assets both of you are bringing into the marriage as well as what you intend to do with others. You can even work out settlement details in case you get a divorce in the future, which can help take away the stress of not knowing what would happen if you did end up separating.
It’s important to remember that not all prenuptial agreements will hold up in court, especially if you or your spouse signs it at the last minute before a marriage or while under duress. It’s better to give yourself and your spouse time to work through a prenuptial agreement well before a wedding takes place. You don’t want to create something that has to be signed without enough time to review it with an attorney, since that document’s legitimacy could eventually be questioned in court.
Prenuptial agreements should be fair. Take your time and work together to come up with an agreement you both can live with in the case of a divorce.
Source: HuffPost, “Prenuptial Agreements: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly,” Henry Gornbein, accessed Aug. 16, 2017
