Pre-Nuptial Agreements

With the recent increase in the number of divorces in the United States, many couples have turned to Pre-Nuptial agreements to ease the divorce process and to help to ensure that no one will get taken for all they are worth. While it may seem like a negative response to a statistic, if there are a lot of assets involved prior to the wedding, it’s important for the parties entering the marriage to protect themselves. A pre-nuptial agreement (or pre-nup) does just that.

A prenuptial agreement is a signed and notarized agreement made by a couple before they are married that concerns various financial issues such as the control and possession of property and other assets taken into the marriage and later obtained during the marriage either individually or jointly, as well as the couple’s future earnings, and how such property or assets will be distributed in the event of divorce or death. In the event of a divorce, the state will divide any and all assets as the state sees fit. A pre-nup divides the assets of the couple as the couple wants. A pre-nup also speeds the divorce process and might even make it slightly less acrimonious since there will be no fighting over who gets the house, the boat, and the airline miles.

While pre-nups are often seen as being un-romantic because they’re a plan for when a marriage fails, they don’t just have to be for when a marriage fails. Anything a couple wants can get included in a pre-nup which can eliminate future arguments. However, the biggest benefit is that they speed the divorce process in case of failure.

If you are considering a divorce, an Austin divorce lawyer at Slater, Kennon & Pugh Ltd.LLP are here to help you through this difficult time in your life. They will keep your best interests in mind and work to get you the most favorable settlement in the event of no pre-nup.