Pre-Nuptial Agreements – A Women & Wealth Podcast

Pre-nuptial agreements, also called pre-nups or pre-marital agreements, often get a bad rap, but they can be very important for supporting and protecting both individuals and the union. A good pre-nup can be a valuable financial planning tool that helps both parties clarify how their financial lives will be commingled; it can also be critical in reducing conflict in the case of a marriage dissolution. A 2010 Harris Poll found that just 3% of engaged or married couples had a pre-nuptial agreement; that number rose to 15% by 2022. The usage of pre-nups continues to increase, with about half of U.S. adults saying they were open to signing a pre-marital agreement.

In this podcast, Coldstream Wealth Manager Anna Shaw, CFP^®, MBA, interviews Paige De Muniz, Owner and Partner of Four Point Legal. Paige has been practicing family law for 18 years, focused on complex divorces, custody cases, and relationship agreements such as pre-nups. In this conversation, she goes over the basics of pre-marital agreements but also discusses how pre-nups can serve couples in their financial planning discussions; why pre-nups can be vital to protect things like family businesses, inheritances, or children from a previous marriage; and how to initiate a conversation about pre-nuptial agreements in a way that feels like it strengthens the union and supports the marriage.

Some topics Anna and Paige touch upon in this 25-minute discussion include:

• How pre-nuptial agreements work and what would be included in a pre-nup
• In what circumstances should individuals consider a pre-nup?
• How pre-nups can serve couples as a financial planning tool
• The process of negotiating a pre-nuptial agreement
• How couples can have a conversation about a pre-nuptial agreement
• The difference between an equitable distribution state, such as Oregon, and a community property state, such as Washington
• The 30-day rule of thumb (don’t sign a pre-nup less than 30 days before the wedding!)

Watch or listen to the videocast below.

*Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP^® and Certified Financial Planner™ in the U.S.

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