If you are in your twenties or thirties and planning a wedding, you probably have a million things on your mind. You’re worried about finding the perfect venue, picking the right playlist, making sure Aunt Carol and Cousin Mike do not end up at the same dinner table.
One thing that might not be on your list is a prenuptial agreement. After all, you are just starting out. You’re young and building a life together. Maybe you do not have a big salary yet or own much beyond your car and a starter home. So why bother with a prenup?
Here is the truth: A prenup is not just for celebrities, millionaires, or people who already have a family fortune to protect. It is a smart, proactive step for anyone who wants to lay a solid foundation for their marriage.
Even if your bank account is modest right now, your future earnings and assets matter. A prenuptial agreement can help you protect what you are building, define clear expectations, and avoid ugly surprises down the road if things do not work out.
A few reasons young people should seriously consider a prenup:
- Future earnings – You might not be earning six figures yet, but your career is just getting started. A prenup can address how you will handle income growth, bonuses, or business interests you develop later.
- Student loans and other debts – Many young couples bring significant debt into a marriage. A prenup can establish who is responsible for which obligations and prevent you from getting stuck with your spouse’s credit card bills or student loans in a divorce.
- Family support and gifts – If your parents or grandparents help you with a down payment on a home or give you money, a prenup can clarify what happens to that if you separate. Does the value of the gift stay with the spouse whose family made the gift, or will you divide that value?
- Clarity and communication – Talking about a prenup requires honest conversations about finances. It is an opportunity to get on the same page early, before misunderstandings or assumptions create conflict. Before you get married, you’ll already know exactly how you’re going to handle the money and who will be responsible for what.
Here are some important topics you might include in your prenup:
- How your property and assets will be divided if you divorce
- What qualifies as separate property (like what you owned before the marriage or gifts just for you)
- How you will handle everyday financial obligations, such as paying bills or managing joint accounts
- Whether either spouse will receive spousal support, and under what circumstances
- What will happen to any business interests you start or grow during the marriage
Keep in mind that for a prenup to be legally binding, it must be signed voluntarily and with full understanding of what you are agreeing to. It cannot be so one-sided that a court would consider it grossly unfair. And in most states, your prenup won’t be valid unless each of you has your own attorney to review things on your behalf.
The attorney is very important because each state has different rules about what a prenup can and cannot cover. The last thing you want is to create an agreement you cannot enforce later.
You are planning for a long, happy marriage, and a prenup does not mean you are planning for divorce. It simply means you are being thoughtful and responsible about your future.
