Post Nuptial Agreement

A postnuptial agreement is entirely voluntary, and it must be signed by both parties in order to be valid. A legally binding document, a postnuptial agreement is an excellent way to protect and preserve the marriage, while still considering the individual interests of those involved.

In general, you should expect that a postnuptial agreement will receive scrutiny from the court before it decides to enforce the agreement. As your family law attorney would advise you, these agreements are not usually signed under the best of circumstances in the marriage.

It needs to be in writing. An oral contract is often difficult to enforce legally in any case. It needs to be signed and notarized. It needs to be fair and reasonable. There must be full disclosure of assets by both spouses. Both parties agree to the terms of the postnuptial agreement.

Attorneys will charge on average $1,000 for a simple postnuptial document and the costs can rise to around $3,000. Postnuptial agreements that are complicated in nature and require ongoing and prolonged negotiations and especially when substantial provisions and assets are involved, costs can start at around $10,000.

In some cases a couple can put together a post nuptial agreement all by themselves that is a perfectly good legal document, ready to be signed and notarized. Others use it as a first draft to take to a lawyer (or separate lawyers for each) to be reviewed and improved upon, as needed.

As long as both parties are in agreement to the terms of the post nuptial contract, and have the ability to put those terms into a legal document, most states don't make it a legal requirement to have an attorney.

The Separate Property Provision. Most marriages mingle the assets and property of each individual together, and they become marital property. Defining What Marital Property Encompasses. Maintenance for Each Spouse. Support for Children. Legal Help with Postnuptial Provisions.

Postnuptial agreements are generally enforceable if the parties of the document adhere to all state laws regarding inheritance, child custody, visitation and monetary support if a divorce does occur.This may also come with a will or other legal document.