Working out issues that may come up in a divorce before you head to the altar may spare you and your spouse from a contentious breakup of your marriage. Even if you do divorce, your prenup may remove much of the conflict from the process. The timing of when you discuss making a prenuptial agreement, however, might be significant.
There are a variety of reasons why you should consider talking with your significant other about a prenup early if you know your relationship is serious. According to Kiplinger, it may affect not only your relationship, but whether your prenup will hold up in court.
Bringing clarity to your relationship
You may have fears that broaching the subject of a prenup might make your significant other think you have no faith in the relationship. However, discussing a prenup may actually clarify what each of you want in the relationship. It might even encourage the two of you that you are compatible in your goals and desires.
On the other hand, discussing a prenup may reveal that you have significant differences with your partner about how to divide property and assets or what your goals are for the future. These differences may alert you to problems going forward if you decide to pursue the relationship into marriage.
Avoiding the appearance of duress
Additionally, a prenup is not immune from challenge in court. A judge may have a problem with your agreement if you and your spouse signed it too close to your wedding date. A judge may determine that you used your impending marriage date to pressure your spouse to sign the agreement. You might stand a better chance of avoiding a duress challenge if you sign a prenup more than a week out from your wedding.
