When you decided to marry the love of your life, you may have already owned property or a business. You might also have already become a parent, either together with the person you’re marrying or from a previous relationship. While you’re planning your wedding, you might not think it romantic to discuss a prenuptial agreement. However, doing so can help you and your soon-to-be spouse avoid a lot of stress.
In fact, there’s nothing unromantic about wanting to discuss private topics with your partner. Most premarital counselors would agree that it’s helpful to talk about things like finances or business interests, as well as any property that you or your future spouse separately own going into marriage. As for children, whether they already exist or you’re planning a family in the future, a prenuptial agreement can help you make sure their needs are met.
Ways in which a prenuptial agreement might be beneficial to you
No one wants to head to the altar thinking they might one day file for divorce. However, there’s no way for you to predict which relationships will last a lifetime and which marriages will end in divorce, including in your own life. For this reason, many people find it helpful to sign a prenuptial contract before getting married.
One of the reasons it might be a good idea is that it enables you and your partner to talk about your existing or future children. If there winds up being a divorce, you can avoid a stressful child custody battle by incorporating terms into your prenuptial agreement before you get married.
A solid prenup can also help reduce the emotional trauma of a divorce. The more you work out ahead of time, the less you have to negotiate if you determine, at some point, that you want to dissolve the relationship. From identifying property as separately owned to how much time each parent will spend with children, as well as alimony issues and various asset-related topics, you can personalize a prenuptial agreement to fit your needs and goals.
It’s not a magical fix-all but it might give you peace of mind
Signing a prenuptial agreement doesn’t mean that you don’t trust your partner. It also doesn’t mean that you expect that you and your spouse will never disagree about money or other important marital issues.
What it does mean to have a prenup in place is that you and your partner care enough about each other to discuss important things ahead of time and do what you’re able to do to ensure that, if you ever do decide to go your separate ways, that you will achieve a fair settlement. In the meantime, you can work on building a wonderful life together.
