While a prenuptial agreement may not be the most romantic gesture, every couple can benefit from creating one, even if at the time of marriage there are little assets.  Assets may accumulate during the marriage and even young couples just starting their own careers should want to make sure that what they acquire during marriage is not left for a court to divide.

While prenups are often associated with divorce, discussing hypothetical scenarios can help to shed light on relationship expectations and help ensure decisions are made accordingly.  Many people also do not realize that post-nuptial agreements are possible.  The only catch is that they can be more difficult to procure and enforce as there are additional requirements.  Waiting until the last minute to think about a prenuptial agreement can result in unnecessary pressure and force more couples into the more difficult post-nuptial route.

Of the many considerations in discussing a prenuptial agreement, none is more important than the fact that California is a community property state.  This means that couples’ assets are typically divided 50/50 despite any special circumstances.  Any couple that would prefer anything besides equal division needs a prenup to avoid it.  Attorneys have compared prenups to life insurance policies, no one enjoys imagining the worst-case scenario but having a policy or prenup in place can make a significant life event less difficult.

The Certified Family Law Specialists* at Lonich Patton Ehrlich Policastri have decades of experience handling complex family law matters.  If you are interested in learning more prenuptial or post-nuptial agreements, please contact the Certified Family Law Specialists* at Lonich Patton Ehrlich Policastri for further information.  Please remember that each individual situation is unique and results discussed in this post are not a guarantee of future results.  While this post may include legal issues, it is not legal advice.  Use of this site does not create an attorney-client relationship.

*Certified Family Law Specialist, The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization