blog home Pre-Nuptial Agreement How Sweet It Is…Until It Isn’t

How Sweet It Is…Until It Isn’t

By Nottage and Ward on December 19, 2018

“You’re nobody ‘til somebody loves you,” Dean Martin famously crooned, “so find yourself somebody to love…but be sure to sign a prenup, Frank!” You can almost hear ol’ Deano adding that last line for his buddy, Frank Sinatra, while performing this hit song in their hugely popular act at the Sands Hotel back in the 1960s. Perhaps you should heed his advice…?

“But I’m in love!” you say. “It’s the real thing. Nothing could tear us apart!”

Well, you’re not the first to feel this way about your betrothed, and, sorry to say it, but people change, circumstances change, and life changes. Divorce might rear its ugly head, and you and your spouse would be wise to have a prenuptial agreement in place.

“But what if my fiancée thinks my request for a prenup is a sign that we’re doomed before we even start?”

A prenup may take away a little of the romance of the moment, but in the long run, you’ll be much better off. And if your love is the real thing, it should withstand a wise back-up plan. There are so many issues that can come up—children, student loan debts, houses, cars, businesses, the list goes on—that you can’t possibly see all of the potential pitfalls that could end your marriage. It’s especially hard to conceive of those possibilities when surrounded by the glow of true love.

Just for a moment, think of your upcoming marriage as a business. In many ways, that’s what it is. You wouldn’t go into business with someone without of some kind of legal agreement in advance, would you? Of course not. And a prenup doesn’t mean that you and your intended can’t share in the assets you each bring to the marriage; it simply means that if things take a turn for the worse, those assets go back to the person who brought them into the marriage in the first place. Sounds fair, right?

Discussing the particulars about money can be an uncomfortable but necessary experience. There are many details to be worked through, openly and honestly. Once you and your fiancé have made the decision to agree on a prenup, it’s important to follow up by consulting with a Chicago prenuptial agreement attorney. Nottage and Ward, LLP, is experienced at negotiating all the elements of a marital agreement. Give us a call at (312) 332-2915 to set up a consultation.