For some people in Pennsylvania, prenuptial agreements seem to be a matter only for the wealthy or major celebrities. After all, prenups can be an important mechanism to protect people with major assets, family businesses or large inheritances in case of a divorce later on. However, many people of all financial backgrounds can benefit and protect themselves through the use of premarital agreements. Investing in a prenup early on can save not only on attorney fees but also on the more fundamental expenses that can come with a divorce down the line.
In many cases, people spend more to divorce than they do on their weddings or honeymoons. The difficulties that can develop in relationships over the years are often unpredictable in the earlier, happier days of a romantic partnership. Therefore, it may be better to have people negotiate the division of their assets while they feel positively about one another. However, many people do feel an emotional block that prevents them from adopting a prenuptial agreement eagerly before marriage. On a practical level, prenups can help to clearly define certain types of marital or separate property and avoid later, more serious conflicts.
The prenuptial agreement drafting process can also be a time to exchange information about assets and debts. This information will be very important for both spouses later on. In addition, it is important that a prenup protect the interests of both parties. This is why it is so key that both spouses-to-be have their own legal representation throughout the process; an unfair prenup could be thrown out of court.
People who are planning for their future may not want to think about divorce, but preparing in advance could save both people significant sums of money. A family law attorney may represent someone planning for marriage in drafting a prenuptial agreement.