Naturally, one does not enter into a marriage with the expectation that it will end in divorce. However, in many cases a couple can benefit from a pre-nuptial agreement. Couples today are waiting longer to get married for the first time which means they may have acquired assets that need to be protected. Similarly, many couples are getting married for the second or third time, and in addition to assets, there may be children whose needs must be considered before entering into another marriage. Most pre-nuptial agreements contain provisions limiting the distribution of marital property and alimony in the event of a divorce.
By making agreements before marriage about how property should be divided, not only can you avoid the potential of expensive and confrontational divorce litigation, but in many cases the parties understand up front what the others’ financial expectations are going into the marriage.