The Fall season is around the corner and the holidays are not far behind.
Lots of couples in love will be talking about engagements, weddings and
prenuptial agreements.
I’m already receiving phone calls from smart couples doing their
due diligence and asking all kinds of great questions about what can be
included in their prenuptial agreement.
You may already be dreaming about your dress, the venue, flowers and tasting cake.
You should also be thinking about securing your financial future and protecting
yourself should a divorce occur.
Newly engaged couples right now are starting to plan their perfect wedding.
Many couples are focused on sharing the big news with family and friends
during the upcoming holidays. Others are creating a budget, choosing a
date and a wedding planner. Still other couples, more practical and financially
focused, are thinking about a prenuptial agreement.
With over 35 years of experience as a divorce attorney and skilled prenuptial
agreement strategist, I know weddings should not be all about the dress,
flowers and the cake. For many savvy couples these days, especially millennials,
careful planning to have the best possible financially protected future
together is an important consideration.
Pop culture has often portrayed prenuptial agreements as a means to protect
men, their assets and property from “gold-diggers”.
But not anymore…
These days many women are earning more than their partners, have previous
assets and savings, and have a vested interest in protecting their financial futures.
I tell couples it is important for women as well as men to protect their
assets. They should be prepared for a potential divorce rather than letting
the courts decide what happens if their marriage fails.
So why should you consider a prenuptial agreement?
Let’s take a look.
1.
It Can Make You Both Stronger.
In order for prenuptial agreements to work, you both have to be completely
transparent with one other about your existing financial matters. This
means fully disclosing your assets and your debts to one another. Get
the difficult conversations out of the way as soon as possible. Trust
me, the best time to talk about that maxed-out credit card is not after
the honeymoon.
2.
Discussing Financial Matters Can Help You Start on the Right Foot.
Almost a third of divorces are the result of financial problems. We know
you’ve heard this before, so why not address this in advance? The
more communicative you are in planning your future together, the more
likely that future will be “til death do us part.”
Part of your prenup discussion can include discussions about marital roles
and obligations of each partner. There is nothing unromantic about smart
planning. Learn about how each partner views money and finance.
3.
You Acquired Property Before Your Current Relationship.
One of the things that I have found is that many couples interested in
a prenuptial agreement typically have acquired property or a business
prior to starting a relationship with their current partner. This is particularly
true with people getting married a second time. Oftentimes, a couple may
want to keep some of their property separate, especially if they have
children from a previous marriage. The idea here is that couples would
like to see their separate property, or even a certain percentage of it,
used for the benefit of their children in the event of a death or divorce.
4.
Financial Independence.
You’re single, you work hard, and you’re probably used to managing
your finances. However, during the course of a marriage, you are likely
to share certain financial responsibilities together. If maintaining a
certain level of financial independence is important to you, a prenup
can help set those parameters for you. One way to do this is to outline
your obligations to each other and define where the lines are in terms
of maintaining your own earnings. You don’t need surprises or conflicts
about finances after your marriage.
5. Divorce is Very Expensive and Messy!
Divorces are quite pricey and while we know that nothing can be further
from your mind, the reality is that about 50% of marriages in the U.S.
end up in divorce.
Think of your prenuptial agreement as something of an “insurance
policy” that will save you both a lot of pain and money by predetermining
who gets what at a time when you are in love and not angry at each other.
If you are planning that romantic engagement and spectacular wedding you
may want to plan for a safe financial future too! Call me.
As a prenuptial agreement specialist, with over 35 years’ experience
in developing sophisticated documents, I will help protect you should
your marriage end in divorce.
I want nothing more than a “happily-ever-after” for you. I
also want a fair, financially sound and healthy ending to your marriage
if divorce does occur.
Fast turn-around in creating a prenuptial agreement for you is possible
if your wedding is just weeks away!
Call now to schedule your free consultation with me! 212.734.1551
Our
FREE 1 HOUR CONSULTATIONS are still available virtually!
I look forward to speaking with you.
Warm wishes,
Lois
Call Attorney Lois Brenner Now to schedule your FREE consultation!
212.734.1551