The Prenuptial Agreement – A Marriage Do or Don't?

By Emily Murray

When it comes to your happily-ever-after, few people want to face the possibility that not all relationships last forever. Of course, you should go in to your marriage believing that your love will last forever but what happens if …well, it doesn’t?

For some couples, the prenup discussion can get messy. Often families on both the husband and wife’s side will push their children to consider having their partner enter into this agreement. While there is a bit of a stigma attached to the idea of a prenup, let’s get to the root of what it is and what it does.

The Case for the Prenup

Essentially, a prenuptial agreement form is a contract that spells out the division of property and wealth in case of a split. While there is more legal depth to this, the general idea is that if the marriage dissolves, both partners should get their share of assets, property and income. In case things crumble, at least financial matters will be solid.

So why are people so often against this?

Well it comes down to the doubt factor. Essentially you are asking your partner to think about your separation before even getting married and this can be a bit overwhelming and frankly, can leave a bad taste in their mouth. It often leads to questions like “Do you not trust me?” “Do you see us getting divorced?” and so on. The truth is, those who sign a prenup are at no greater risk of divorce than anyone else, they simply choose to look at the arrangement from a practical sense instead of through rose colored glasses.

Sound cynical?

Well, it all comes down to how you look at it.

The Case Against the Prenup

If signing a prenup is enough to cause an epic battle with your future husband or wife is it worth forcing it? You can certainly see the case to be made against it. For some it means a serious lack of trust and it can be the straw that breaks the camels back  during the hectic time of wedding planning.

Another drawback is that the financial situations of both husband and wife may change greatly over the years, essentially rendering the agreement null.

While it may not be romantic, a prenup does seem to be the most practical way to enter in to marriage. What do you think?