Marriage seems like a romantic fantasy when you first get engaged, but the reality of sharing your life with someone is often messy. The people that you love can hurt you and violate your trust in them. They can do things that put you at risk financially or legally. Some people feel like they have to divorce for their own protection because of their spouse’s behavior.
Even when your marriage itself goes well, sometimes there are family scenarios that necessitate thinking about your own long-term protection, like receiving a large inheritance when a family member dies. Postnuptial agreements are an increasingly popular means of protecting oneself from spousal misconduct or the threat of a message divorce.
A postnuptial agreement is much like a prenuptial agreement. It can potentially help you file an uncontested divorce and can both create certain rights and limit your risk. What are the biggest benefits of drafting a postnuptial agreement with your spouse?
It could help you save your marriage
If your relationship has gone through a tough time recently, then a postnuptial agreement could help the two of you reevaluate how you act toward one another and what you expect from the marriage. Talking about your hopes for yourself and your family and your expectations for the near future could help you and your spouse reconnect and work through the issues that have complicated your marriage in recent months.
They reduce the conflict and expense of divorce
Not everyone who negotiates a postnuptial agreement will remain married to their spouse. Whether conduct that frustrates you continues or new behaviors cause damage to your relationship, you or your spouse may eventually decide to file for divorce.
When that happens, the terms that you have already negotiated for property division, custody and support will determine what happens next. Typically, uncontested divorces cost far less than contested one and also involve less conflict, which means they’re less stressful. According to divorce statistics, the average cost of an uncontested divorce is $4,100, but a contested divorce that goes to trial with at least one issue will cost an average of $20,379.
Educating yourself about the benefits of marital agreements might help you work on your marriage or at least pave the way for a less difficult divorce.