On behalf of Sena Family Law & Mediation Practice posted in blog on Thursday, January 25, 2018.
No one in California enters a marriage thinking that it will eventually end in divorce. However, divorce is a possibility, and it is smart to protect your interests before you get married. This is possible with a prenuptial agreement. If you are engaged, you would be wise to consider how a prenuptial agreement could be beneficial for you and your future interests.
Upon deciding that you would benefit from a prenuptial agreement, you would be wise to seek the appropriate help to craft an agreement that accurately meets your needs and suits your objectives. Including the appropriate factors as part of your agreement will provide the appropriate protection you need before you get married.
What should you put in your prenuptial agreement?
A prenuptial agreement can do much more than outline how you want property division to work in the event of a divorce. With your prenuptial agreement, you can do the following things:
- Protect the interests of children from a previous marriage
- Keep you from leaving the marriage with an unfair portion of marital debt or debt that solely belongs to your spouse
- Shield the terms of an existing estate plan
- Help you keep your family property in your family after a divorce
- Allow you to distinguish which property is marital property and which is separate
- Provide an outlet to outline the financial responsibilities of each spouse in a marriage
While it may not seem romantic to discuss what will happen if the marriage ends in divorce, a prenuptial agreement can actually propel productive conversations between two people who are about to get married. These discussions can help both parties understand financial philosophies and move forward to their lives together with confidence about the future.
Custom-tailoring your plan
There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to drafting a prenuptial agreement. There are many factors to consider, and you would be wise to seek qualified guidance as you make important decisions that could affect your financial future. With help, you can craft a custom-tailored prenuptial agreement that provides the protection you need.
As you prepare to get married, you would be wise to think beyond just the wedding day. It is beneficial to think about your future, your plans and your decisions in case things don’t go as planned. Drafting a prenuptial agreement is not planning for the marriage to fail, it’s simply planning for contingencies.