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You have probably heard quite a lot about prenuptial agreements made between two soon-to-be spouses. Did you know there is also a postnuptial agreement – commonly called a postnup – as well? Just like a prenuptial, a postnup can help you and your spouse avoid a messy, painful divorce by planning the key factors of a separation in advance. The difference being that a prenuptial is made before the marriage becomes official, and a postnup is made afterwards.
Should I Get a Postnuptial Agreement?
In marriages across the world, finances are hot button issue. When financial concerns run rampant, they tend to chip away at intimate relationships first and foremost, splitting loving couples apart from the stress of it all. A main benefit of forming a postnup is allocating right then and there what to do about debts and necessary expenses.
You can put in writing what debts belong to who and why. You can describe how they should be paid off and by what percentage split between yourself and your spouse. Perhaps most importantly, you can describe what will be done to repay debts owed to your spouse or vice versa just in case divorce does end up on the table years later.
The division of marital assets is also something you can tackle right now with a postnup, rather than waiting for things to get heated in a divorce. Alimony, inheritances, business ownership and control, and so forth are all things to consider in your postnup so you aren’t swinging blindly in a future divorce.
Can a Postnuptial Agreement Save a Marriage?
Here at Family First Legal Group, one thing we really emphasize when speaking to a client about making a postnuptial agreement is that it can help save their marriage, rather than tear it apart, as rumors say it will. Oftentimes, a carefully planned postnup creates a new foundation under both spouses, on which they can rebuild their relationship. The solid structure of the postnup can let you plan better for the future, which in turn will make you hopeful for the future. Some of the stress of your marriage that has been causing fights or distances will fall away simply by knowing you have a bit of a legal safety net under your marriage, just in case.
Keep in mind that there is nothing that says you or your spouse have to sign the first draft of your postnup. There is always room for discussion about what should be changed. In this process of perfecting your postnup, along with the guidance of an attorney, you can gain a sense of teamwork and togetherness, further helping your marriage flourish.
To learn more about postnuptial agreements, or to get the help of an attorney in Naples, Florida, call Family First Legal Group at (239) 319-4441 or contact us online.