August 10, 2008
What You Need to Know About Prenuptial Agreements
These days, prenups are not only for wealthy couples but for poor couples as well. People from all lifestyles want to register their responsibilities and rights before their marriage. This will help the couple to divide the assets and properties amicably in case if they need to go for a divorce in future.
If you don’t already know, a prenup is a written agreement that a couple signs before they get married. If the marriage ends in divorce or death, the prenup states what each person’s property rights will be after the marriage ends. It usually lists the debts and assets of both parties.
People in numerous situations are beginning to see the positive benefits of a prenuptial agreement. It’s no longer limited to the wealthy.
Couples who are blending families may find a prenup particularly useful, as it will allow them to pass on property and assets to their children while still providing for each other. In this particular case, a prenuptial agreement prevents all property and assets passing to the surviving spouse, and protects the children of the deceased spouse.
Prenuptial agreements also clarify financial rights and responsibilities during the marriage. If one partner has significant debt, a prenuptial agreement can protect the other partner by releasing him or her of the responsibility of the debt incurred before marriage.
If a couple divorces, a prenup helps a lot in dividing the assets smoothly between the two. Prenup agreements can even state whether a spouse will have to provide alimony if there is a divorce. Nevertheless, a spouse will have the rights to claim alimony in certain states immaterial of prenup agreement.
Just because you and your spouse are considering a prenuptial agreement, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t both strongly committed to your marriage. In fact, it can mean just the opposite. It can create a stronger marriage with fewer conflicts both now and in the future by spelling out exactly what is expected of each one of you financially.
Filed under Law & Ethics by Cristi Trusler



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