Stop Believing These Prenup Myths

There is a lot of misunderstanding and societal stigma surrounding prenuptial agreements. When getting ready to spend the rest of your life with someone, you focus on the specifics of wedding planning and romantic emotions.

You may assume a prenuptial agreement is not necessary–or is a bad idea. However, there are plenty of advantages to signing a prenup with your partner. Take a look at these common myths and corresponding truths about prenups.

They are only for the rich and famous

It is common to read headlines online or on tabloid magazines about celebrity prenups. Contrary to popular belief, prenups do not only help when you have enormous amounts of cash or assets. In reality, prenups help you prevent disputes about marital assets. Additionally, prenups can include information about debts, dividing assets among children and future alimony payments.

They doom couples for divorce

A lot of people believe that signing a prenup destines them to split up in the future. While the act of signing a prenup may not necessarily be romantic, there is no evidence it increases the probability of divorce. In fact, mental health experts say these contracts do not predict how marriages fare.

They are only for divorces

You may assume the only purpose for a prenup is to determine what happens to money and assets in the event of a divorce. However, prenups are useful for many other marital concerns. For example, you can use a prenup to outline the financial expectations of your marriage. A prenup can also lay a foundation for your estate plan.

You can wait to get a postnuptial agreement

While postnuptial agreements are essentially the same thing as prenuptial agreements, the timing of creating them is crucial. It is ideal to sign a prenup before your wedding or a postnup immediately after. Do not wait for years down the road.