Family Law Lawyer
Typically, when people hear of a prenuptial agreement—or a prenup—it comes along with a dramatic story about a celebrity divorce. However, anyone two people can enter a prenup before they get married. A prenup is a written contract between two people that outlines the property they own and the debts they have. This is very useful information if the couple gets a divorce down the road as it will specify what each person in the couple gets. However, writing a prenup is not always simple and it can be helpful to have a family law attorney with you while you make these incredibly important life decisions. No one wants to think about who gets what after a marriage has ended, but it is always best to be prepared. Thus, you should have a caring and objective attorney helping you every step of the way.
I don’t have a lot of money. Do I need a prenup?
Many people believe that you need status, a big house, and wealth to create a prenup with your spouse. However, they can be very helpful for those who come from modest backgrounds as well.
- Protecting Debts. Creating a prenup agreement can be extremely helpful when it comes to protecting you and your spouse from each other’s debts.
- Determining Finances. Finances are one of the biggest things that a couple argues about during a marriage. Within the prenup, you and your spouse can outline very clearly what each of your roles are in terms of finances, who has certain responsibilities, and where your finances are still divided. This can save many headaches down the road.
- Avoiding Arguments. When couples get divorced there are typically two types of couples: those who divorce amicably and those who do not want to be near each other. While both situations can be stressful for different reasons, a prenup can ensure that both spouses have outlined exactly how their property should be divided in case of a divorce and if a spouse gets alimony. The latter will depend on your state as some states will not legally allow a spouse to give up alimony.
- Passing Property. When you are getting married and you or your spouse have children from a previous marriage, it is important to outline which property those children will get if you or your spouse dies.
Creating a prenup is helpful because it will ensure a court is not the one making decisions when it comes to finances, property, and debts. These are the decisions that you and your spouse want to clearly state if your marriage comes to an end.
If you are getting married and are considering creating a prenup, please contact a trusted family law lawyer in Rockville, MD so that they can help make this a smooth and easy process.
Thanks to the Law Office of Daniel J. Wright for their insight into family law and prenups.