Pre-Nuptial Agreement - Chicago Illinois Family Law Blog
How to Know If a Prenup Is Enforceable in Illinois
A prenuptial agreement is an agreement made between two people before their marriage that outlines how they would divide their assets in the event of a divorce. While you would assume this makes a legally binding contract, some aspects of a prenuptial agreement may actually be unenforceable.
What Should I Include in my Prenuptial Agreement?
Prenuptial agreements, commonly known as prenups, have become more and more popular over the past few years. It is very common for young couples to enter into a prenuptial agreement before committing to marriage, so that both parties can be protected should the relationship end in divorce. These agreements are legal documents, and so should be looked over by an experienced family law lawyer before being signed. But it can be difficult to decide what is worth including and what is not. That is why we at Nottage and Ward, LLP have put together this brief guide for you.
What’s the Deal With Prenups?
Today, many couples end up marrying later in life. What that means is each partner already has a life of their own, and more to lose if something goes wrong in the marriage. If you haven’t already, we recommend considering a prenuptial agreement to give yourself an extra layer of legal protection. Here are the facts about prenups.
First Comes Love, Then Comes…?
For most of mankind’s history, marriage has been something of a business decision. A man and a woman were legally bound, often in arrangement by the parents of each party. A dowry of wealth in goods or money was brought by the bride and presented to the husband. Children were expected in the very near future, again, often a part of an agreed-upon business decision; and indeed, when it comes to many household chores or farm work, children were a necessary part of a functioning home. In some cases, having so many children required some of those older kids to take care of the younger ones.
How Sweet It Is…Until It Isn’t
“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…?
He Gave You a What?
The following is a fictional “what-if” scenario that many couples in Illinois may currently be dealing with.
It’s been almost a year and you couldn’t be happier with Mike. He’s charming, sweet, funny, has a good job, keeps a clean bathroom, actually gets along with your mom, and (let’s face it) he’s pretty easy on the eyes. You’ve sampled the dating pool and have come to the conclusion that Mike could be The One. All your friends agree that he’s definitely got The One material—even your mom thinks so!
Illinois Prenup Basics: How Can They Be Invalidated?
If you are getting married, one of the last things you want to do is bring up a prenuptial agreement (prenup for short) because it’s usually something connected with divorce. And clearly, that is not a possibility you’ll want mentioned before the marriage has even started.
A prenup is a document drafted prior to getting married that determines certain financial arrangements between the spouses. Although people commonly associate prenuptial agreements with those who are wealthy, anyone can execute a prenup before marriage. It is important to understand not only what constitutes a prenup, but what factors can declare a prenup invalid.
Same-Sex Marriage & Prenuptial Agreements: Items of Note
Following a Supreme Court ‘punt’ earlier in the month, a ban on same-sex marriage has been struck down in six additional lower courts – bringing the total number of states to ratify the action to 32. The federal government now recognizes unions between same-sex couples in Colorado, Indiana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin; as a result, federal and state benefits will finally be extended to couples living in those states.
Which raises the question that so many couples consider prior to entering into a union – how will my benefits and overall financial stability be impacted if we divorce? Now that same-sex marriages are finally on equal footing as their heterosexual counterparts in the State of Illinois, are there any particular economic considerations that should be documented in a prenuptial?
Prenuptials Signed Under Duress or Coercion
When it comes to highlighting the need for a focused, well-executed and thoroughly acknowledged prenuptial agreement, you need only look to the current high-profile proceedings between Citadel CEO, Ken Griffin and his wife Anne Dias-Griffin.
Beginning in July of this year, Mr. Griffin filed to dissolve his 11-year marriage in Illinois state court, citing irreconcilable differences between the two. Mr. Griffin also asserted the couple’s prenuptial agreement outlined the final terms of the divorce and, in fact, it has been actively utilized since the start of their marriage.
Stay-At-Home Parents Can Be Vulnerable: What You Should Know
The divorce attorneys at the law firm of Nottage and Ward in Chicago have run into this scenario all too often: a woman has decided to forgo a budding or successful career to stay at home, raise the children, and run the household. Suddenly, the marriage falls apart and she finds herself divorced and jobless with little or no prospects of gaining meaningful employment in the future.
Many think that family courts will protect them and that alimony payments will be commensurate with the monies they may have earned after giving up their careers. According to Forbes, many of these women are in for a shock. Often judges, including female judges who had to make sacrifices in their own family lives to pursue their careers, are not sympathetic to the Stay-At-Home-Mom (SAHM) plight.
These women (and, increasingly men) may assume that they will receive alimony covering full support, but with the advent of alimony reform laws in many states those expectations may simply be unrealistic. Permanent alimony is increasingly becoming a thing of the past. We are living in an age where “rehabilitative” or “temporary” alimony is becoming the norm. These alimony judgments only stay in place until the affected spouse gets back on his or her feet and can rejoin the workforce.
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