What Is A Prenuptial Agreement, And Is It The Right Choice For Your Marriage?

Are “Prenups” Bad?

The word “prenup” can incite an array of impassioned positions that reflect personal values associated with the tradition of marriage. Who can forget the episode of the now-famous “Seinfeld” episode when George Costanza is looking for ways to get out of his engagement and Kramer suggests that he asks his fiancé to sign a prenuptial agreement? The stigma so often associated with prenuptial agreements underlies this exchange.  This stigma stems from a logic that asks: if one is already preparing for a potential divorce, should one be getting married at all?

However, we shouldn’t be too quick to assume any singular logic for the motivation of a prenuptial agreement. If we consider the institutional and legal complexities involved in marriages and civil unions, as well as the wide array of situations in which one enters into a marriage, prenuptial agreements can very well give both parties peace of mind going into the marriage.

What exactly is a prenuptial agreement?

Essentially, it is a way for both parties to protect their assets in the case of a divorce; though reasons for signing a prenuptial agreement don’t always concern the protection of one’s wealth.  Often times if one person has substantial debt, if both parties own “real” property (i.e. real estate), or if one or both parties have children, there is a desire to address these in case of divorce.  Essentially, what is important to remember is that prenuptial agreements can establish terms of separation preemptively, when both parties are content, rather than having to establish those same terms when there is the potential that one or both parties harbor resentment towards the other, which can needlessly aggravate an already difficult process.

It is important to emphasize that prenuptial agreements cannot be signed unless both parties agree and to ensure the lack of coercion or manipulation, they are usually notarized.

As lawyers, our underlying goal of any divorce, aside from the nuts and bolts work of addressing assets/debt, support, and any child issues are to make a difficult process as painless and expedient as possible, working in the best interest of our client.  Sometimes this is achieved through a discussion before the marriage begins as to how best to protect our clients with a prenup.

Let our Virginia attorneys answer your questions about prenuptial agreements. Call us today! 

As with all issues pertaining to divorce, including prenups, one of the most important things to do is be informed. We have years of experience in family and divorce law, please feel free to ask us any questions you have. Call 888-691-9319 or fill out this short form to get started. 

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For related information, visit these links

Prenuptial Agreements in Virginia
An Overview of Virginia Divorce
Four Questions You Should Ask Your Divorce Attorney