Every time you hear a Hollywood couple divorcing, you hear how they have signed on prenuptial contracts to minimize disputes about marriage agreements.
When planning a wedding, a prenuptial agreement may not be on the top of your priority list.
However, many issues can start emerging in the course of a wedding. So, you need to prepare yourself for the worst as you work through the tough parts. It will help you have a smoother divorce. Also, when you are in a better state of mind, discussing the divorce may help you be fairer, post-divorce things may get too awkward and difficult to sift through the proceedings.
We know prenups have gotten a bad rap in pop culture, and people get scared of discussing it in hushed whispers. It is as if you are signing your fate for your future divorce. And there are plenty of other myths surrounding prenups. So, let’s bust some of them right here, one myth at a time.
Myth: Prenups are Only about Saving Your Wealth.
Contrary to what most people believe, prenuptial agreements are not only about protecting money. They are also signed contracts to help prevent disputes about different marital assets.
It may include discussing other issues, such as a house or a pet. The prenup can also discuss the amount of future alimony one has to pay, division about assets among kids, and how to manage money in the case of debts. It is just simplifying things when things get tough.
Myth: You Do Not Need to Include Other Details in the Prenup that You Find Important.
You can include many other things in the prenup. However, it does not mean that you will enforce all of it. If your judge thinks that your contract isn’t fair for both sides and does not include child support or other unreasonable details, then the whole thing can get invalidated.
Myth: You May Not Need the Help of a Lawyer.
It is the worst myth you have heard. You cannot sign a prenuptial agreement without getting it signed and approved by a lawyer. Legal representation is very important as it may help you move through the various features of the contract. Although it is not always important to get separate attorneys, you should not forgo them as it may stop a judge from validating the contract.
Myth: Signing a Prenup May Encourage You To Consider Divorce.
Most people think that signing a prenuptial agreement may mean you might get a divorce. It may even seem an ominous thing to do. It is time to bust the myth. A good prenuptial agreement may mean you have a solid foundation to build your marriage and rule out any dissent in the future.
Even if your marriage goes towards the divorce path, you and your spouse will have fewer things to dispute about. Apparently, 86% of mental health experts have said that prenups do not have any predictable impact on the future of your marriage.
Myth: Prenups Are Irrelevant.
Prenuptial agreement is not only about the split. Prenups are about financial expectations and can also lay the foundation for an estate plan. Yes, prenups also deal with death. Yes, what happens when one of the spouse members dies and in such an eventuality. Although this is not something one discusses, it covers the practical aspect of things.
Myth: You Cannot Change a Prenuptial Agreement At All.
In the eventuality that one spouse has more money and assets than the other one and the couple heads for splitsville, they may not be bound to the terms of the prenuptial agreement.
Yes, the spouse with a lesser amount of money is entitled by law to what is already thought upon, but the more moneyed spouse can give more money. If you are more generous, more than the terms of your agreement say, it won’t happen your agreement. An attorney can make tweaks to the agreement by the presiding judge.
Don’t believe all the myths about the prenuptial agreement you hear. If you are considering getting married and thinking of signing a prenuptial agreement, talk to your lawyer to dispel the myths and know more about it before signing on the dotted line.