You didn’t want to bring up a prenuptial agreement before you got married, because you were afraid your spouse may think you didn’t trust him. Now, you realize that the agreement could have protected you both from debts and from losing assets should you ever divorce or separate.
One good thing is that you can still create an agreement. It’s called a postmarital agreement. The only real difference between the prenuptial and postmarital agreement is that your postmarital agreement happens after your wedding day. You have more time to focus on it, and you don’t have the stress of handling legal paperwork before your pending nuptials.
What are some benefits of postmarital agreements?
A postmarital agreement is beneficial first because of not needing to do it before your marriage. Maybe you didn’t have a lot of time, or perhaps you felt like it would look bad if you asked ahead of time. Either way, you and your spouse have more time to talk about how this agreement could protect you both and your finances instead of it seeming like a one-sided process.
Postnuptial agreements are also a good idea if you suddenly come into money or more assets than you realized. Maybe it turned out that you won the lottery or you received an inheritance that you want to partially share with your spouse. Using a postnuptial agreement helps you protect your assets now and gives you a chance to discuss how they should be distributed in the case that you and your spouse ever separate.
Postmarital agreements aren’t only about money. They may address custody, marital priorities and other issues that you want to make clear. From setting marital goals to protecting each other in the case of your deaths, these agreements are ideal for any pair of married people.