If you are like many people who are about to get married, you may feel as if you have no need for a prenuptial agreement. Maybe you have full faith in your marriage and you do not plan to divorce, or perhaps you do not feel as if you have enough assets to warrant one.
Creating a prenuptial agreement can be a smart move for everyone, however, and this holds true even if you do not have what you think are considerable enough assets to need one. Furthermore, almost no one enters into a marriage thinking it will do anything other than last the long haul, but statistics have repeatedly shown that a large percentage of married couples do eventually part ways. So, when might you want to consider creating a prenuptial agreement?
When your spending habits differ broadly
While your future spouse might be perfect for you, that does not necessarily mean he or she is a perfect person. If you are the type of person who has all your bills on auto-pay, but your spouse needs constant reminders to stay on top of his or hers, a prenuptial agreement can help you avoid unnecessary hardship down the line. While debts you have when you enter the marriage typically do not become your partner’s, debts you accrue over the course of your marriage often do – unless you stipulate otherwise in a prenuptial agreement.
When you have been married before
If you are remarrying, you may have more assets to your name, or more children you wish to provide for, than you might going into your first marriage. Often, people who remarry already have adult children, and they may also already have plans set in place with regard to how to provide for those children in the future. A prenuptial agreement can help ensure that the assets you want to go to your children will, in fact, make it to them.
While these are some of the circumstances that might warrant a prenuptial agreement, please note that they can benefit anyone, regardless of wealth, who wishes to avoid financial disputes and related complications later on.