When planning to marry your partner, there are plenty of conversations that are easy to have. Where you are going on your honeymoon, what flavor cake you want at the wedding, and the song playing when you dance your first dance are easy and fun discussions. The desire for a prenuptial agreement is decidedly less fun and a bit more complicated.
To protect the assets you bring to your marriage, it may be a difficult conversation that is worth having. Below are some tips for discussing a prenuptial agreement with your future spouse.
1. Start Soon
If you are considering a prenup, start this conversation as soon as you can. Do not wait until you have already sent wedding invitations to broach the subject. Open and honest conversations about how it will protect each partner and your expectations about the agreement can ease each partner’s anxiety long before it could impact the wedding.
2. Practice Transparency
Opening up about your financial situation and setting realistic expectations can ease a lot of stress and anxiety that a prenup could bring up. Let your future partner know about the following:
Honesty and openness can set the stage for transparency throughout the marriage, giving each partner realistic expectations about marital finances.
3. Understand Your Partner’s Feelings
Money matters can trigger some pretty uncomfortable feelings. But, starting early and listening with empathy may create a tradition of open communication within the marriage. Both parties win in these cases. Hear your partner’s concerns and compromise so that the agreement benefits you both. A true partnership does not force either partner to put themselves at a disadvantage for the sake of the marital finances.
4. Focus on Securing the Marriage, Not Preparing for Divorce
Marriages are meant to be forever. Sometimes, a prenuptial agreement makes it seem as if one partner is preparing for the inevitable failure of their marriage. But, it is time to reframe such thinking. Focusing on the future course the marriage will take means protecting each person’s financial interests and investing in peace of mind and preventing future legal battles if the worst happens and the marriage does end.
5. Seek Legal Guidance
You may be tempted to save money and draw up a prenuptial agreement from an online site or on your own, this may not be a legally binding contract. Both parties can protect their interests by having a skilled family law attorney take a look so that the language and terms used are clear and that any legal jargon is used carefully so that the agreement represents what you intend for it to cover.
6. Compromise is Crucial
When you sit down with your partner to discuss a prenuptial agreement, show yourself as willing to compromise so that your partner knows that the contract they are entering into is reasonable for you both. Each partner should feel protected by a prenup, not taken advantage of by it.
Contact Evans Family Law Group Today
If you are considering protecting yourself and your partner’s assets and protecting your spouse from debt, reach out to Evans Family Law Group today. We have a keen understanding of prenuptial agreements and how they can ensure fairness and equitable financial dealings for both parties in the case of a divorce. Visit our website or call us at (512) 628-2550.