The Growing Acceptance of Prenups
Some have the impression that prenuptial agreements are a relatively new phenomenon. In reality, Hebrew marriage agreements can be traced back over 2,000 years. In the United States, prenups were given a boost in 1848 by the Women’s Property Act in New York State.
From the 1960s through the 1980s, prenups and even postnups gained in popularity as women began exercising their rights and asserting their independence. Unfortunately, prenuptial agreements in the 90s and early 2000s got some negative exposure in some high profile divorces that included some of the entertainment industry’s biggest stars.
Since then, an interesting trend has been occurring. Fueled by aging Millennials, prenups are growing in popularity. A recent survey states that 40% of young marrieds and engaged couples between 18 and 35 years old either have or plan on getting a prenup.
What is behind this acceptance of prenup and postnup agreements?
Couples are Marrying Later in Life
As young people wait until later in life to get married, they become more settled into their careers or businesses. They may invest in real estate or have other financial investments. They become comfortable having their own money and “stuff.” They seem fine with protecting these assets through a prenup.
Many Couples Pay Their Own Set of Bills
While it was common for previous generations to combine incomes into savings and checking accounts, couples today are comfortable keeping their funds separate. A prenup is a natural extension of this thought process.
Many Have Seen Parents Marriages Fail
Prenups are exceptionally popular with children of divorced parents who suffered through difficult divorces. They are discovering prenup and postnup agreements can help streamline the process, at least when it comes to financial matters.
Prenups Can Help Avoid Future Confrontations
It can be easier and more comfortable to have a discussion about how situations may be settled in the future rather than having to confront them in stress and anger. Prenups allow cooler, calmer heads to prevail. Many find that a prenup can actually solidify a marriage and bring about a certain level of peace of mind. Odds are, couples are already having serious discussions about children, religion, politics, and more. A discussion about a prenup should also be included.
There are Less Misperceptions About Prenuptial Agreements.
In the past, there was a perception that prenups were only for the famous or wealthy. Many even thought a prenup somehow demonstrated a lack of faith or love between couples. Today, it is viewed as a more common-sense and practical approach to marriage.
When you consider how much time and resources are put into a wedding, it almost seems silly not to investigate and invest in a prenuptial agreement. We can help.
Quality prenuptial agreements are carefully crafted with the individual situations of the couples involved in mind. If you live in the Tampa, Florida region and would like to know more about prenuptial agreements, we invite you to reach out to us.
Tampa Divorce Lawyer
If you have questions about a prenup agreement or a postnup agreement or require legal assistance in other areas of Family Law in Tampa, Florida such as high asset divorce you may always contact Damien McKinney of The McKinney Law Group to discuss your case further. He can be reached by phone at 813-428-3400 or by e-mail at [email protected].
We now offer virtual prenuptial agreements. Contact us to inquire further about our virtual prenup option.