In the past three years, the number of prenuptial agreements has been on the rise. It is not just the wealthy who are getting them. In the past, it was considered a delicate subject to talk about a prenuptial before getting married. It just seemed like bad timing to talk about what happens in the event a couple divorces when they are claiming their undying “forever” love to one another.
But the facts show that people are being more realistic about the possibility of splits, and maybe that is because couples do not seem to take their marriages as serious as they once did. People jump into marriage with the mindset that it may not be permanent, even though they claim undying love forever.
More than half of divorce attorneys claim that premarital agreements have increased in the past three years. According to 46 percent of the attorneys, women’s requests for prenuptials have notably increased as well. So what is causing the increase?
Maybe the fact that women are much more independent now plays a part in it. Some women are making, or expect to be making, more money than their male partners. Some have already accumulated property of great value by the time they are ready to get married, and they don’t want to lose what they have worked so hard for.
The three most important issues that a prenuptial is requested for is to protect separate property, to agree on alimony or spousal support, and property division. The recent survey done by the AAML (American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers) showing the increase over the past three years confirms the results of a 2010 Harris Interactive poll. In that poll, both single individuals (44 percent) and divorcees (49 percent) believed it was a good idea to have a premarital contract. Fifteen percent of the divorcees stated that they wished they had had one.
In Connecticut, prenuptial agreements are upheld in court, but they must be drafted correctly. If they are incorrect, they can result in costly litigation or be just a worthless piece of paper. An attorney can ensure that a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement is drafted properly and will be fully upheld in a court of law.
