Every marriage is unique, as is every divorce. Therefore, making sweeping generalizations about family law matters almost always leads to some degree of inaccuracy. Still, there are certain concerns and needs that remain consistent across most marital relationships. For example, people need to trust their spouse and to feel a sense of mutual respect. Many people also prioritize having a sense of stability and shared priorities in their closest relationships.
Sometimes, even those who have stayed married for years may begin to worry about the dynamic in their relationship and/or their financial vulnerability if they were to divorce. Married couples may choose to negotiate postnuptial agreements for one of the two reasons below or a combination of both reasons.
They want to know what to expect in a divorce
One of the main objectives in the creation of a postnuptial agreement is a clear plan for the division of property should the couple end up divorcing. Those property division guidelines allow for an uncontested divorce if someone decides to file and will take the uncertainty and stress out of contemplating life after marriage. Spouses won’t have to worry about battling over assets when their relationship has reached its lowest point if they put a prenuptial agreement in place before things get particularly bad.
They want to clarify relationship expectations
Discussing the state of a marriage, the circumstances of each spouse and the needs that they have can help people reconnect after years of living together and possibly taking one another for granted. In some cases, discussing issues like an uneven breakdown of household chores or challenges in the marital relationship can help couples recommit to one another and work through those issues.
Having an honest discussion with one another could strengthen the marriage and help the spouses do better by one another in the future. Many people who hope to make their marriage work also would like clarity about what would happen if they divorce and protection so that the process will be less expensive and stressful.
Seeking legal guidance to construct a postnuptial agreement can be beneficial for those currently struggling in their marriages.