In addition to uniting two people in love, marriage is a legal contract with serious implications for the finances of each spouse. The family law attorneys at Shufflebarger Law Office, P.C. in Fort Collins, Colorado draft prenuptial and postnuptial agreements to help individuals and couples make smart choices for their financial future. Whether signed before a marriage (prenuptial) or after your vows (postnuptial), these legally binding documents set terms for each spouse’s property rights if the marriage ever ends in divorce.
Prenuptial agreements, or “prenups,” have become common. In many cases, they help couples maintain civility during breakups, allowing each spouse to move forward with a sense of financial stability.
Marital agreements typically include terms for the following:
Postnuptial agreements are like prenups except that they are entered after the parties are married. Often, what prompts a postnup is a change of family or financial circumstances. Sometimes, it is used to settle issues concerning property division and spousal support in anticipation of a divorce.
For a prenup or postnup to be valid and enforceable in Colorado, it must meet these requirements:
An agreement can be declared invalid if either spouse did not secure guidance from their own attorney before signing. An agreement that includes unclear language can also be deemed unenforceable. If an agreement gives one spouse a far greater advantage than the other, a judge may throw it out.
The legal team at Shufflebarger Law Office has extensive experience advising engaged and married couples. We are meticulous in our creation and review of prenups and postnups.
A prenup can be advisable if spouses enter the marriage on unequal financial footing. The agreement can make each spouse responsible for his or her own debt. If either partner has children, the prenup can set aside certain property for those children so that the assets do not go to the other spouse in a divorce. Prenups can also give each spouse a full picture of the other’s finances.
Some people may choose not to sign prenups because it is difficult for these agreements to account for the unexpected. Over the course of a marriage, financial circumstances can change in drastic ways.
At Shufflebarger Law Office, P.C. in Fort Collins, Colorado, we provide dedicated and focused support to clients in need of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. To schedule a consultation with our office, call 970-232-9732 or contact us online. We advise clients in Larimer and Weld Counties.