Understanding And Creating Premarital Agreements

A prenuptial agreement or “prenup” can be an important educational and financial planning tool for an engaged couple. Today, as couples often marry after they have established their careers, each of them may own their own property. Few spouses-to-be want to simply give up their separate property, but many people do not realize the full consequences of marriage with regard to their property. Expensive, complex problems can arise in a dissolution action because parties fail to consider the possibility of divorce before marriage and fail to take the steps necessary to protect what they may already own.

Ronda A. Middleton offers years of experience practicing family law and is a strong advocate of premarital agreements. A premarital agreement is something like an insurance policy that can save thousands of dollars and prevent escalation of animosities in the event of a divorce. As the old saying goes, “A stitch in time saves nine.” This is especially true if one person in a pending marriage has children from a previous relationship, already owns a home or a business, has intellectual property that he or she has created, or has substantial personal investments. If you consider your hard-earned assets worth protecting, contact our experienced attorney to discuss a premarital agreement.

In Favor Of The Prenuptial Agreement

When they are in love and planning a marriage or registering as domestic partners, no couple wants to contemplate the possibility that their relationship might not continue “happily ever after.” However, the hard reality is that more than 50% of marriages end in dissolution. It is, unfortunately, a possibility that is foolish to ignore. Before parties marry without a premarital agreement, we recommend that they read the book “Prenups for Lovers: A Romantic Guide to Prenuptial Agreements,” by Arlene G. Dubin.

If a couple cannot have meaningful conversations regarding money, property and finances BEFORE marriage, the probability of success for their marriage may be slim at best. Honesty and openness about finances and expectations, on the other hand, can be a good sign of mutual trust. We believe that once both parties of a couple have completely disclosed their assets and liabilities, they can work together to reach an economic understanding.

A premarital agreement can greatly assist in determining property division in the event of a divorce or dissolution of a domestic partnership. Proper premarital planning can also significantly reduce the time and expense involved should the marriage or domestic partnership break up. Some couples put strategic agreements in place after marriage, too. A postnuptial agreement or “postnup” may serve many purposes, such as keeping family and business assets separate.

Consult With An Experienced Attorney About A Prenup

At The Law Offices of Ronda A. Middleton, your well-being and best interests will always come first. To discuss the creation of a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement for your California marriage or domestic partnership, call 714-888-5481 or complete our simple online inquiry form.