Prenuptial Agreements

A prenuptial agreement is a contract that is signed before marriage that spells out how a couple will handle any of the financial aspects of their marriage. Having an honest financial discussion prior to a wedding ceremony can be a very positive experience, most of the time. With communication comes gaining knowledge and understanding of each other's financial goals and requirements. By providing that clear understanding of each other, the communication done before marriage about finances can be important groundwork for a happy relationship long into the future. Most couples today who come into marriage with their own investments, cash, and property bought in the years before, understand right away why a prenuptial agreement is helpful to have. For every couple, deciding how to deal with your money and assets -- whether to maintain separate or joint accounts, share deeds to homes, assume each other's pre-marital debts -- is one of the biggest challenges to newlyweds.

Prenuptial agreements are one solution. Some people think these legal documents are a must because they have a major stake in how the property and income are divided. Others think they are only necessary if you plan on divorcing. What I think is that some couples have very compelling reasons why having either full or partial financial independence from each other is beneficial and fairer to both of them. Also, I think sometimes it can be outright compellingly necessary to have a prenuptial agreement that shields one of the spouses from separate debts and the bad credit ratings of the other member of that couple. We confidentially represent and advise future spouses in the context of prenuptial agreements.