Prenups

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MaverickBP

Golden Member
Nov 18, 2004
1,414
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0
Originally posted by: Lothar
Originally posted by: bennylong
People that argue against prenup are the same idiots that argue you shouldn't have insurance.

"Why buy insurance on your life,health,and property? You're just setting yourself up for failure and death!"

A Prenup isn't an insurance.
It's not admissable in some state courts.

You actually have that backwards. If a prenup is done correctly it can be the ONLY thing that saves you in court. It's the people who do it wrong or have wild expectations (like she can't gain more than 20lbs..has to have my meal ready each night when I get home...etc) that get theirs tossed out.
 

SirChadwick

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2001
4,595
1
81
I fear that even mentioning the word prenup to my fiancee would cause a world of trouble....

therefore it has not been brought up.
 

compuwiz1

Admin Emeritus Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
27,112
930
126
Prenups don't always work. My father just divorced wife #3. They had a prenup, but the attorneys successfully swayed the judge that she signed it under duress, and it all got blown by the wayside.

He got stiffed for a healthy sum (five figures) each month, and they had no children together. She was just a cosmetologist, when they met. This stikes me so wrong, but that's how it is. Funny thing is, the entire family saw her as an opportunist, from the very beginning. We all knew how it would end, but he just couldn't see it. Because of it, all his relationships with his children became strained.
 

MaverickBP

Golden Member
Nov 18, 2004
1,414
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0
Originally posted by: compuwiz1
Prenups don't always work. My father just divorced wife #3. They had a prenup, but the attorneys successfully swayed the judge that she signed it under duress, and it all got blown by the wayside.

He got stiffed for a healthy sum (five figures) each month, and they had no children together. She was just a cosmetologist, when they met. This stikes me so wrong, but that's how it is. Funny thing is, the entire family saw her as an opportunist, from the very beginning. We all knew how it would end, but he just couldn't see it. Because of it, all his relationships with his children became strained.

Exactly when I meant when I said if the prenup is done improperly. If you make sure each has their own attorney (meaning she had someone explain what is actually happening to her/him. Someone who doesn't work for you) and have it done months in advance, there is little way of proving duress. You also want to make sure the signing is videotaped and witnessed by a judge/retired judge if at all possible.
 

MaverickBP

Golden Member
Nov 18, 2004
1,414
0
0
Originally posted by: SirChadwick
I fear that even mentioning the word prenup to my fiancee would cause a world of trouble....

therefore it has not been brought up.

If she truly loves you, you shouldn't be afraid of bringing something like that up. No one should.
 

compuwiz1

Admin Emeritus Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
27,112
930
126
Originally posted by: MaverickBP
Originally posted by: compuwiz1
Prenups don't always work. My father just divorced wife #3. They had a prenup, but the attorneys successfully swayed the judge that she signed it under duress, and it all got blown by the wayside.

He got stiffed for a healthy sum (five figures) each month, and they had no children together. She was just a cosmetologist, when they met. This stikes me so wrong, but that's how it is. Funny thing is, the entire family saw her as an opportunist, from the very beginning. We all knew how it would end, but he just couldn't see it. Because of it, all his relationships with his children became strained.

Exactly when I meant when I said if the prenup is done improperly. If you make sure each has their own attorney (meaning she had someone explain what is actually happening to her/him. Someone who doesn't work for you) and have it done months in advance, there is little way of proving duress. You also want to make sure the signing is videotaped and witnessed by a judge/retired judge if at all possible.

I understand what you are saying. He should have done it your way, but that's a hindsight 20/20 type thing. Sadly, most people will believe, that just because you have a signed "supposed" legal document in hand, you are in the clear. How badly misguided you can be.

 

SirChadwick

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2001
4,595
1
81
Originally posted by: MaverickBP
Originally posted by: SirChadwick
I fear that even mentioning the word prenup to my fiancee would cause a world of trouble....

therefore it has not been brought up.

If she truly loves you, you shouldn't be afraid of bringing something like that up. No one should.

Maybe I'll say the magic word a couple days before the wedding... :roll:
 

Kelemvor

Lifer
May 23, 2002
16,928
8
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If one person is bringing a lot more to the relationship than the other (money, property, etc) then I'd say go for it. But for most people who are relatively even, I don't think it matters. PreNups can actually put strain on the marriage because the other person can feel like you don't think it will work going in and that's why you feel you need the extra protection because you assume it will fail.

Both parties need to go into the marriage with the belief that divorce is simply NOT an option no matter what and that you both will do whatever it takes to make the marriage work. If you focus on that (and don't sleep around or do something stupid) you have nothing to worry about.
 

bennylong

Platinum Member
Apr 20, 2006
2,493
0
0
Originally posted by: Kelemvor
If one person is bringing a lot more to the relationship than the other (money, property, etc) then I'd say go for it. But for most people who are relatively even, I don't think it matters. PreNups can actually put strain on the marriage because the other person can feel like you don't think it will work going in and that's why you feel you need the extra protection because you assume it will fail.

Both parties need to go into the marriage with the belief that divorce is simply NOT an option no matter what and that you both will do whatever it takes to make the marriage work. If you focus on that (and don't sleep around or do something stupid) you have nothing to worry about.


Tell that to the 50% of people that end up being divorced less than 5 years into their marraige.
 

Skotty

Senior member
Dec 29, 2006
232
0
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Problem with a prenup is it's almost like saying either: a) I don't trust you, or b) You shouldn't trust me. I like to go with the philosophy that you shouldn't get married until you have complete trust between the two of you, and if you have complete trust then you don't need a prenup. It's a risk, but that's part of the game.
 

Kelemvor

Lifer
May 23, 2002
16,928
8
81
Originally posted by: bennylong
Originally posted by: Kelemvor
If one person is bringing a lot more to the relationship than the other (money, property, etc) then I'd say go for it. But for most people who are relatively even, I don't think it matters. PreNups can actually put strain on the marriage because the other person can feel like you don't think it will work going in and that's why you feel you need the extra protection because you assume it will fail.

Both parties need to go into the marriage with the belief that divorce is simply NOT an option no matter what and that you both will do whatever it takes to make the marriage work. If you focus on that (and don't sleep around or do something stupid) you have nothing to worry about.


Tell that to the 50% of people that end up being divorced less than 5 years into their marraige.

Exactly the point. It's because they don't have the resolve going in to do anything to make the marriage work. Marriage used to be called an Institution. Not it's a passing fad to many people.

And what do they say is the reason for all those divorce? Irreconcilable Differences. Which is just a cop out for "I don't feel like working at this marriage so I'll just quit"
 

TDY2KN01

Senior member
Apr 30, 2000
297
2
81
Im not sure it has been suggested but you can have a prenup condition that if any of the party cheat, that person can only receive xx% (i.e 25%) of the total money earned between the two of them.

 

PricklyPete

Lifer
Sep 17, 2002
14,582
162
106
Prenup = lack of trust based on statistics. Life is a gamble, but I have full trust in my future wife...otherwise I wouldn't be marrying her. If my judgment is wrong...I'm willing to live with that mistake. I am not willing to go into a marriage structuring it for failure.
 

manlymatt83

Lifer
Oct 14, 2005
10,051
44
91
Originally posted by: MaverickBP
Hey guys I have been researching prenups and was curious about your opinions/suggestions. Things that you have seen or wish you would have thought of. I have always planned on getting a prenup whenever I get married because I feel a marriage should be about love and nothing else. I have seen too many cases of guys/girls getting screwed over to not protect myself. Basically what I want is my future wife and I to get nothing should we divorce. Of course anything we acquire together during the marriage is split between us because WE earned it. But that is the only thing I want to happen as I believe that is fair. I shouldn't have rights to things she had before the marriage, nor should see have to pay my bills afterwords or vice versa. This is of course excluding things we purchased together that are not yet paid off. So please post whatever you have to say on the subject.

Also before the flaming starts. A prenup isn't dooming the marriage from the beginning...it's a protection plan. Same reason we buckle our seat belts when we get in our cars. We don't plan on getting in an accident but would like to protect ourselves should the event occur. Same reason we get car insurance. Truth is people change and things are done out of anger/resentment and those heated decisions can have a lifelong effect on someone. A prenup is a nice way to try and prepare incase the worst happens.



I will never get a prenup, no matter how rich I am. How can someone plan for the day when you and your wife don't love each other anymore?
 

GasX

Lifer
Feb 8, 2001
29,033
6
81
To all the people harping on pre-nups as a trust violation, imagine a scenario.

You are happily married for 3 years
You have a beautiful 2 year old
She files for divorce
You reach a civil agreement on dividing up everything
The you start getting letters from her lawyer
You get a red hot poker stuck up your ass by the court.
You live in a trailer sending her all your money to raise your kid
She lives in your house and poisons your kids mind against you.
You end up destitute and living in your mom's basement.

OR

You are happily married for 3 years
You have a beautiful 2 year old
She files for divorce
You reach a civil agreement on dividing up everything in accordance with your pre-nup
Your divorce in finalized quickly
You maintain a friendship and work together to raise a well adjusted daughter.

The choice is yours.
 

GasX

Lifer
Feb 8, 2001
29,033
6
81
ok, that was a bit extreme, but the point is this: If you have a messy divorce, not only do you get screwed financially, but you can also end up in a situation where your relationship with your kids is affected. THAT is more important than a romantic notion of marriage that does not allow for the concept of divorce to be discussed at all.
 

Kelemvor

Lifer
May 23, 2002
16,928
8
81
But again, that's the whole point. The problem is people today consider divorce as acceptable when it should not be.

I read an interview with Will Smith in some magazine at home and he spelled it out very nicely. He said that when he and Jada had issues, they worked through them and are a strong couple for it. He also said that because they both agree that Divorce is not an option, they work together to get through anything that comes up and to strengthen their marriage at the same time.

The problem today is that marriage doesn't mean anything to a lot of people except that it's a big party. 3 months, 3 years, or 3 kids later, they just decide to end it and don't care. If people would get back to the mindset that divorce is not acceptable, this country would be a much better place. :)
 

GasX

Lifer
Feb 8, 2001
29,033
6
81
Originally posted by: Kelemvor
If people would get back to the mindset that divorce is not acceptable, this country would be a much better place. :)
You seem to have a naive view on the good old days when two people who hated each other would stay together for fear of social stigma.

Divorce is not a bad thing per se, but a couple that doesn't have a committment to sort through their issues is not going to make it. Discussing a prenup like adults is actually a positive thing.

If you think that they are inherently evil, more power to you, but there are strong and viable reasons why pre-nups CAN be a good idea.

 

imported_weadjust

Golden Member
Apr 23, 2004
1,561
1
0
Jessica Simpson's dad refuesed to let her get married if she signed the pre-nup presented by Nick. Nick withdrew the pre-nup and married her anyway.

Look on Jessica's Dad face when Nick gets a check for millions. Priceless
 

compuwiz1

Admin Emeritus Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
27,112
930
126
I'll bet over 80% of divorces happen because those people do not understand what a committment means, or really did not committ, when they said the words.

My definition of a committment is just this: No other options :)
 

yowolabi

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2001
4,183
2
81
Originally posted by: compuwiz1
I'll bet over 80% of divorces happen because those people do not understand what a committment means, or really did not committ, when they said the words.

My definition of a committment is just this: No other options :)

Everyone says that divorce is not an option when they get married.... until things get bad and one person realizes that divorce is an option. As long as divorce is legal where you live, it is an option and no amount of mind tricks will make you and your partner forget that it's out there.

You can not know how you will feel or think in 5 years. I bet you don't think exactly like did 5 years ago. As hard as it is to predict yourself, it's a million times harder to predict another person's actions.... scratch that, it's impossible. Even if you stay true and refuse a divorce even though life with your spouse became miserable, there is absolutely no way to know that your spouse won't decide that their mind has changed.

The problems with both divorce and marriage is that people try to apply a fantasy to real life.
 

eakers

Lifer
Aug 14, 2000
12,169
2
0
Originally posted by: MaverickBP
Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
I should have had one written up.....but I figure that I don't own enough of anything yet. I honestly don't believe in divorce. I married my wife because I plan on staying with her until one of us kicks off.

You don't have anything yet...but do you know your future retirement/401k/inheritance/gifts/etc are marital property? Should she (or you) be entitled to eachother's 401k/retirement even years after divorcing?

well, if she stayed home with the kids and didn't have a chance to earn a 401k then she probabley is entitled to some of yours.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,857
31,346
146
Originally posted by: bennylong
People that argue against prenup are the same idiots that argue you shouldn't have insurance.

"Why buy insurance on your life,health,and property? You're just setting yourself up for failure and death!"


Not everyone has bought their wives through the mail, you know...
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,857
31,346
146
Originally posted by: Mwilding
To all the people harping on pre-nups as a trust violation, imagine a scenario.

You are happily married for 3 years
You have a beautiful 2 year old
She files for divorce
You reach a civil agreement on dividing up everything
The you start getting letters from her lawyer
You get a red hot poker stuck up your ass by the court.
You live in a trailer sending her all your money to raise your kid
She lives in your house and poisons your kids mind against you.
You end up destitute and living in your mom's basement.

OR

You are happily married for 3 years
You have a beautiful 2 year old
She files for divorce
You reach a civil agreement on dividing up everything in accordance with your pre-nup
Your divorce in finalized quickly
You maintain a friendship and work together to raise a well adjusted daughter.

The choice is yours.


Yes. The only 2 possible outcomes in this situation. Pre-nup = always a good idea.
No pre-nup = you have rocks for brains. <sarcasm meter off>
 

bennylong

Platinum Member
Apr 20, 2006
2,493
0
0
Originally posted by: zinfamous
Originally posted by: bennylong
People that argue against prenup are the same idiots that argue you shouldn't have insurance.

"Why buy insurance on your life,health,and property? You're just setting yourself up for failure and death!"


Not everyone has bought their wives through the mail, you know...

Pre-nup does not work for mail order bride. Court would rule it invalid because a good attorney can claim she did not know what she was signing and did not get advised by a good attorney.