Prenuptial Agreements:
When you are in the middle of planning your wedding, meeting with an attorney to design a pre-nuptial agreement may seem unromantic or counterproductive.
However, you are best able to protect your current (and future) assets when you and your partner are "in love." Having a well-crafted pre-nuptial agreement prior to entering your marriage can be beneficial for many reasons. Perhaps the most beneficial reason to establish a pre-nuptial agreement is that it begins a dialogue between both parties about the expectations and objectives of their union. It is a great opportunity to work together as a team and come up with marital goals and understandings. Overlooking important opinions that each partner rightfully holds is a wasted opportunity to strengthen a budding relationship and establish open communication.
It is not only the married couple that benefits from a well-crafted pre-nuptial agreement. If you have children from a prior marriage, this contract can safeguard their financial interests. Business owners can include terms in their agreement so that business assets are classified as separate property. Pre-nuptial agreements offer these and other protections.Whether you are concerned about keeping your business intact or retaining your inheritance, you can rely on our family law attorneys to safeguard the people and possessions you value.
Post-nuptial Agreements
A post-nuptial agreement is very similar to a pre-nuptial agreement, in that you make a legally binding plan in the event of the death of one spouse, divorce or legal separation. The difference is that it is written after marriage, rather than before. When spouses decide to draw up a post-nuptial agreement, it is a great way to make sure that the individual wishes of each of them are in a legal document if the marriage ends. These agreements are written in cases in which the two parties are separating and it is necessary to outline how the financial matters of the marriage will be handled during the term of the separation.It may also address other issues such as alimony payments, estate planning and how certain expenses are paid during the marriage.
When prepared correctly, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements can alleviate a long and contested divorce or probate proceedings (along with appropriate estate documents) with the dissolution of a marriage or death of a spouse. Juris Law & Mediation attorneys have years of experience with pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements as well as the estate documents that often coincide with them. Call us today for a consultation!
