Many couples who get married in Connecticut believe that getting a prenup is for wealthy individuals. The reality is that more people than ever before are getting prenups for reasons besides wealth.
Almost everyone has assets that they wish to protect even if they are not rich or famous. A prenuptial agreement offers a person going into a marriage protection beyond what state laws provide in the event of a divorce. Even if it seems clear how property would be divided based on current laws, laws do change with time. Getting a prenup makes what happens in the event of divorce more predictable.
Many people enter into a marriage with student loan debt. A prenuptial agreement can grant credit toward spouses who want to help the other spouse pay down their debt in the event that the couple gets divorced.
A prenuptial agreement can even set forth a plan for what happens to pets. Many courts will not spend time or resources deciding what happens to a pet in a divorce. A prenup can provide certainty regarding who gets to keep pets, which can prevent fighting later on.
Spouses who go into a marriage with a business may want to get a prenup to protect their interests. Otherwise, the business could be considered intermingled with marital property and subject to division.
A family law attorney may be able to help clients who have questions about signing a prenup. A prenuptial agreement can be tailored to a client’s needs; prenups are not only useful for protecting what a person has going into the marriage. A prenuptial agreement can set forth what happens in the event of divorce, including the amount and duration of alimony payments.
Though many people think that they will never get divorced going into a marriage, a prenup may save time and stress if the marriage ends. Prenuptial agreements might also include provisions about estate planning.