Prenuptial & Postnuptial Agreements in Scottsdale

Pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements allow two people to determine in advance what will happen financially if the relationship ends. While this is not very romantic, it is a way to create peace of mind in the relationship. In the unfortunate case that the marriage comes to an end, your assets will be protected.

Protect your assets by drafting a prenuptial agreement. Contact us now to get started!

Protections Offered in These Agreements

Spouses can enter a spousal agreement either before marriage, which is preferred, or at any point in the marriage, but these can be more difficult. These agreements are generally used to define property and protect the rights of both parties in the case that the marriage dissolves. A pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreement will allow you to protect yourself, your prospective spouse, or your current spouse.

Pre-nuptials and post-nuptial agreements can be very flexible and will address matters including:

• How will we pay our household living expenses during the marriage?
• How will we divide our assets and debts if the relationship ends?
• Will one spouse be entitled to spousal maintenance?
• What if I owned a business before the marriage, what happens to it?
• What if I owned a rental home before the marriage, what happens to it?
• Will income during the marriage be treated as community property or as separate property?

Building a Workable Agreement with Your Spouse

Just because pre-nuptials and post-nuptials can be flexible does not mean they are necessarily simple. Depending on the parties, some agreements can be very simple, but others can be quite complex.

Regardless of the complexity, by law, Pre-Nuptial and Post-Nuptial Agreements must be:

• Written
• Voluntary
• Fair (or at least conscionable)
• The result of full disclosure by both parties; and
• Signed by the parties and, if represented, their lawyers

No matter what else a pre-nuptial or post-nuptial agreement may state, if it does not meet these five points, it may not be enforceable when you need it.

We encourage you to work with a knowledgeable Scottsdale prenup lawyer at Owens & Perkins, P.C. to negotiate and draft your pre-nuptial or post-nuptial agreement.