The Practical Prenup: 5 tips to Ensuring a Good Agreement
Prenuptial agreements give couples a lot to think about and may cause some added pre-wedding stress. There is certainly a lot to consider. Keep the following steps in mind to help ease you through the process:
1. Prepare in advance: Do not wait until right before the wedding to see a lawyer and get an agreement together. Give yourselves time to thoroughly think about what terms you want to include and to make any revisions earlier rather than later.
2. Be reasonable: Do not try to draft an agreement that is so one sided that it will not hold up in court. Give each other the same respect and courtesy you would want for yourself. While you are planning for the event of a divorce, remember you are still a couple now.
3. Keep it simple: The agreement does not need to be full of technical terms and legalese. Put the prenuptial agreement in plain language and only go into minute detail where absolutely necessary. No need to over complicate the matter.
4. Till death do you part: As scary as it may be to think about, you should draft a clause to protect each other in the event of death. You will want to know the other is taken care of and that you have a say in how.
5. Read carefully: Make sure you read the entire document (even the boiler plate) before signing. You do not want to get rushed into a prenuptial agreement you aren’t comfortable living with down the road. Also, do not let your future spouse rush you through reading. Take your time and ask any questions you might have.