Get a Prenuptial Agreement before
Your Next Marriage
While signing a prenuptial
agreement can be one of the all-time romantic turnoffs, for people
heading into their second marriage, a prenuptial agreement can give the
trade-off of a better relationship through the security of financial
and life planning. A prenuptial agreement is a legal contract between
two people about to marry, specifying how assets will be distributed in
the event of divorce or death.
A prenuptial agreement is
a good idea, even if you aren’t rich or own a home. It saves
future arguments and can even save you money. A prenuptial agreement
requires that each partner prepare an inventory of assets owned before
the marriage, and it allows you to establish your separate priorities
about those assets.
Even if you do
nothing more than that in your prenuptial agreement, this gives
children from a previous marriage a chance to have half of that
property and establish what belonged to Mom or Dad before the second
marriage, and it establishes what you're taking with you should you
leave the marriage." Statistically, second or third marriages are more
likely to result in divorce than first-time unions.
Because of this,
a prenuptial agreement is an especially wise idea.
• A prenup is
important if one of you is wealthier than the other.
• If you have
assets such as a house, stock or retirement funds, you should have a
prenup.
• A prenuptial
agreement is essential if you own part or all of a business.
• A prenup can
discuss your wishes if you may be receiving an inheritance.
• If you have
relatives who need to be taken care of, such as disabled children or
elderly parents, a prenuptial agreement is very important.
• If you expect
to receive a big increase in income because of a growing business, a
prenuptial agreement can address this issue.
• A prenuptial
agreement is essential if you have children and/or grandchildren from a
previous marriage.
We recommend that each
partner draw up a list of assets. Furthermore, for professional
couples, prenuptial agreements can be the ultimate protection against
all-too-common lawsuits or medical malpractice suits.
You can't
predict all of your life events, and prenuptial agreements are a means
of keeping your own assets safe in the event of any financial problems
that your spouse may experience
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