Prenuptial agreements are making a comeback as millennials who wait to get married until after establishing themselves financially search for ways to protect their hard won premarital assets. These agreements are also becoming more common among those who remarry later in life and seek ways to protect the inheritances of their children from their second or third spouse. Though the decision to obtain a prenup is often more professional than personal, asking a person you love and trust to sign a prenuptial agreement is not easy. If you would like to have your prospective spouse sign a prenuptial agreement, this advice for asking your fiancé to sign a prenup can help make a difficult conversation more tolerable.
Ask Early
Waiting to request that your future spouse sign a prenup is not a good idea. The longer you wait, and the more time and money has been spent planning a wedding, the more pressured your fiancé will feel about signing. A person who feels forced to do something is more likely to respond with hostility and anger than a person who has had time to consider the request. Once it becomes clear that a marriage will take place, bring up your desire to have a prenuptial agreement in place prior to getting legally married.
Offer to Work Together to Draft it
Instead of presenting the agreement as something that you will create that a spouse will either sign or refuse to sign, offer to work together to draft an agreement. Asking for his or her help creating the agreement will help your future spouse feel like a participant instead of a supplicant. Be prepared to pay for his or her attorney, as well, so that you are on equal footing regarding legal advice. Treating a prenuptial agreement as a team effort instead of a prerequisite based on your needs will reduce arguments and ensure that the final agreement is valid.
Be Honest
Once you broach the subject of having a prenuptial agreement, your fiancé is probably going to ask why you feel it is necessary. Instead of blaming your parents, a business partner, or changing the subject, be honest and transparent. Explain your concerns about your future togeter regardless of whether the marriage ends in death or divorce. A prenup gives both parties a chance to completely understand the other’s financial situation. No matter how uncomfortable it feels, you must be completely honest with your partner if you want him or her to agree to sign a prenup.
Get Legal Advice in Georgia
Before bringing up your desire to obtain a prenup, talk to a prenuptial agreements attorney. An attorney can let you know if a prenup is even necessary based on your financial and professional situation. The attorneys at Vayman & Teitelbaum understand how difficult discussing prenups is for most couples and we are prepared to offer you advice for each part of the process. Contact us today at 678-736-7700 to schedule a consultation so that we can talk about your unique needs at one of our four Atlanta area locations.