Prenuptial Agreements in New York
Why You Should Protect Your Interests Before Saying “I Do”
The reality is that one in almost two first marriages will end in divorce. For second and third marriages, the divorce rate is even higher. According to legal and financial experts, having a prenuptial agreement is often a smart financial decision. A prenuptial agreement is a contract between two soon-to-be-wed people that spells out a number of important things, such as how assets will be distributed in the event of divorce or death, and many other factors, depending on your needs.
If you fall into some of the following categories, you may want to consider a prenup:
- You have premarital assets, such as real estate or pension plans you want to keep separate
- You own all or part of a business or professional practice
- You have children and/or grandchildren you want to protect
- One of you is considerably wealthier or earns more than the other
- You anticipate that you will be receiving a sizable inheritance
- You are taking care of loved ones, such as elderly parents
- You will be making sacrifices to support your spouse’s career
- You anticipate an income increase because of a business venture
- You are pursuing a career in a potentially lucrative profession
Approaching the Subject with Your Future Spouse
So how does one begin to discuss this touchy subject? It is advisable to do it as early as possible. The mention of a prenup shouldn’t come as a surprise if you and your future spouse have been open with each other throughout the relationship. By talking it over, you can let your soon-to-be spouse know that protecting property is important. We can help you.
You can offer something in exchange for the property you wish to protect. Both individuals can cover various assets and craft ways to be fair with each other. It can be arranged so that both parties get something positive out of the agreement. Second, be honest. You have to be real about why you want the prenuptial agreement. It may very well be the best way to begin a healthy marriage.
How We Can Help
If you would like to discuss the possible advantages and logistics of creating a prenuptial agreement with a New York matrimonial lawyer, we encourage you to schedule an initial consultation with the team at Lois M. Brenner, Esq. Our firm has been serving and protecting NYC families for more than 35 years, and, unlike any other divorce attorney, Lois M. Brenner is able to draw from decades of experience and use her medical expertise in interpersonal psychology to work toward the positive outcome you desire.
To learn more about prenuptial agreements, call Lois M. Brenner, Esq. today at (646) 663-4546.
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Lois acted as the mediator in my divorce, and she was absolutely excellent. It was a very difficult time for me personally, but Lois made the process as easy and painless as it could possibly have been. She listened to each of us separately, and made thoughtful and helpful suggestions. She is fair, and seemed to genuinely care about finding a solution that was best for both parties. Lois is perfectly qualified to handle this type of situation, given her background in psychology. She truly understands people, and used this ability to keep my ex-husband and I calm, and smoothly navigate a few tricky situations. I felt very understood by Lois, and think that she not just a top-quality attorney, but also a very decent person. She is responsive, and answered my emails within a couple of minutes every time. Highly rated!
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“Thank you for doing such a tremendous job!”- Bill
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My contested divorce was brutal. Lois never flinched. She was strategic, on top of every detail, and always made me feel like I was her only client. I'm grateful every day.- T.R.
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I had a complicated situation wherein I had to get a divorce through publication as my husband and I had not been in contact for 5 years and I was out of the US for a few years. (it was an abusive marriage) I reside in Buffalo and I spoke with several attorneys locally but I did not feel that any of the local attorneys were able able to understand my situation. Some suggested that I locate my husband, and each one of them wanted to start by identifying and listing the assets. Unsatisfied, I started looking for attorneys in NY city, and I found Ms. Brenner through Avvo. During the consultation, she was extremely kind and understanding and agreed to take on my case. Ms. Brenner helped me get a divorce through publication and she/her team took care of everything. All I had to do was provide her with documentation. I am grateful to Ms. Brenner for helping me get out of a sticky stressful situation. I would definitely recommend her to anybody in a similar situation. Thank you, Ms. Brenner.
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Amazing, Skillful Mediator!!!! We went to see Lois Brenner for a mediation consultation. We had pretty much decided our marriage was over. We just wanted to end things fair and amicably. Lois Brenner spent so much time with us, and gave us great insight as to how the process would help us, we hired her on the spot. Our sessions thereafter were stealth. She organized us, helped us identify and address all the issues. She showed us how to communicate effectively throughout the process. We were able to address all our issues, especially property and finances, arrive at a comfortable settlement agreement, and now we are waiting for the judge to sign our divorce. What an extraordinary process. I highly recommend Lois Brenner and mediation. She’s super, and mediation really works.- Maggie and Josh
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We were looking for a mediator to help us with visitation issues we were having due to the pandemic. With all the problems we were having getting the kids back and forth, and arguing about taking trains and buses during visitations, we called Lois Brenner to help us make some decisions. She really set us straight. She spent a lot of time with us so we could get a parenting agreement together to set some rules we could both agree to. I feel a lot better now. Thank you Ms. Brenner.- Dina
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Lois Brenner, her colleagues, team of experts and staff are phenominal. I hired them to help me to see my son who had been taken out of state by my wife during this insane pandemic. She decided to take him to stay with family but then she sideswiped me with a divorce. I was devastated. Lois Brenner and her litigation partner fought for me and made it possible for me to see my son. They are handling my divorce now and their strength and support is getting me through a really tough time. They are smart, tough and highly experienced.
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We have Lois Brenner to thank for turning our marriage around. We hired Lois as our mediator when we were considering divorce. When we started working with her and she realized we wanted to try to keep our marriage together she suggested a postnuptial agreement to get our marriage back on track. Having the postnuptial agreement made us both accountable when it came to our issues. Having this doc in place is clearly helping us redefine our marriage in a better way. I don’t know if we will never get divorced, but for now we are respecting each others’ boundaries and are aware of the consequences if we don’t! It was really cool that Ms. Brenner suggested this method as an option. Most divorce attorneys would not have suggested a way for us to try to stay together. She is very talented and unusual in the best possible way. If we choose to take the divorce path eventually we will definitely hire her again. In the meantime we are making it work. She is amazing.- Joseph M