Couples do not usually enter a marriage with the intention of someday divorcing, but statistics indicate that just a little under half of them do. It is that high rate of divorce (and the potential losses that may ensue because of one) that is causing many millennials to take preventative steps.  One of the most crucial is the drafting of a prenuptial agreement. Unfortunately, these documents cannot cover every aspect of your marriage, and there is always the risk that one (or all) of the terms will not hold up in court. Learn how to “bulletproof” your prenuptial agreement, and discover how a seasoned family law attorney can assist you with the process. 

Starting Your Marriage with Transparency

Honesty and transparency are the cornerstones of a healthy marriage, and a prenuptial agreement can help you incorporate these qualities into your marriage, early on. Of course, you can attempt to hide or inflate your wealth in a prenup, but it is never wise - and not just because it is dishonest or deceptive. By not disclosing any wealth you have, or by intentionally inflating it, you can completely void your prenuptial agreement. As a result, your document may not be honored in court, and you may lose even more of your assets through penalties from the court. Avoid this prenuptial agreement mistake by ensuring you are honest about all the assets you have and expect to earn in the future, and always be transparent with your spouse about losses and gains that occur over the course of your marriage. Also, ensure you avoid any inadvertent mistakes by talking to a lawyer about your assets prior to the creation of your prenup. 

Couples do not typically enter a marriage with the intention of divorcing. Sadly, divorce is the path that nearly half of all couples will take. What causes them to head that direction, and how can you avoid meeting the same fate in your impending marriage? The following information examines the most common causes of divorce, as well as how to avoid them, and it explains how a seasoned family law attorney can use a prenuptial agreement to protect your finances before your marriage even starts. 

Fighting Dirty

No matter how much you love your spouse, you are not going to agree on everything. How you handle those disagreements could predict whether or not you will one day divorce. Name-calling, shaming, blaming, and other nasty fighting tactics can strip away the trust and give each of you the sense that you are no longer in a loving partnership. Over time, that can degrade your marriage to the point of divorce. If you notice that you and your spouse are starting to fight dirty, consider marriage counseling before things get worse. 

Discussing a legal document that outlines your divorce before you are even married may not seem like the most romantic move. However, experts are now encouraging couples to talk about their finances, as well as the possibility of a divorce, before they wed. Part of this is due to the increasing prevalence of divorce and second marriages among older adults, and the intentional delay of marriage among millennials. The increase in entrepreneurship and small businesses are yet another factor.

Thankfully, a prenuptial agreement can help in these situations (as well as others). Learn more in the following sections, and discover how an experienced family law attorney can help you plan for the worst possible situation without it tainting the joy of your impending marriage.

Step Out of Your Emotions

While prenuptial agreements are commonly discussed in popular culture, it is less common to hear about postnuptial agreements. Postnuptial agreements cover similar things to prenuptial agreements, but they are entered into after the marriage has already been created. It may seem strange for couples to enter into these (usually) binding agreements after they have already been married for a period of time, but there are many valid reasons why a couple may want to draw up and sign a postnuptial agreement.

If you are thinking about a postnuptial agreement it is crucial that you talk to a knowledgeable prenuptial and postnuptial agreement attorney to make sure that the agreement you devise will be upheld by the court.

Marital Wrongdoing

If you are thinking about getting married and you and your spouse are considering signing a prenuptial agreement, you may be curious as to what you can and cannot include under Illinois law. Theoretically, you can put anything you want in there, but Illinois will only recognize the parts that they allow and, depending on the circumstances, going too far afield may call the entire document into question. If you are thinking about a prenuptial agreement you should talk to a skilled prenuptial agreement attorney to make sure that the agreement will be upheld and also that your rights are protected.

Illinois Law

Prenuptial agreements in Illinois are governed under the Illinois Uniform Premarital Agreement Act. Courts often prefer prenuptial agreements because it makes property division much easier.