Illinois Prenuptial Agreements

 Posted on December 00,0000 in Prenuptial Agreement

Although it may have never crossed your mind, prenuptial agreements can be beneficial for many people - not just those who are wealthy. Prenuptial agreements are legal contracts that couples sign before they are married that can hash out the details of things like property division or spousal support in the event that the couple was to ever get divorced. Each state has its own laws pertaining to prenuptial agreements and agreements in Illinois are subject to the Illinois Uniform Premarital Agreement Act. The Act dictates everything from how prenuptial agreements must be constructed, to what can and cannot be included in prenuptial agreements. As with most things in the legal world, prenuptial agreements can become tricky, but here are four things that you should know before committing to a prenuptial agreement.

Anyone Can Benefit from a Prenuptial Agreement

Many people’s knowledge about prenuptial agreements comes from what they have seen on television and in movies. You do not have to be extremely rich or have tons of valuable assets to get a prenuptial agreement. Any couple can benefit from getting a prenuptial agreement, especially when one or both spouses have been married before, one or both spouses have children from other people, either one of you owns a business or there is an income disparity between the two of you.

You and Your Soon-to-Be Spouse Both Need to Hire Lawyers

While it would be easier to just hire one attorney who could draft the agreement for you, both of you should get your own lawyers to help you look over the agreement and foresee any future problems with it if it were to be used. A single attorney cannot be an advocate for both of you and if you both do not have separate legal counsel, your agreement may not hold up in court. Full Disclosure Is Required You are required to be completely truthful about any current assets that you have or any future assets, such as inheritance or inherited property you may get. Full disclosure is required going into an agreement, that way both spouses know what they are getting into.

It Can Get Awkward Between You and Your Significant Other

Bringing up the idea of a prenuptial agreement can be awkward for both you and your soon-to-be spouse. Prenuptial agreements tend to still carry a negative stigma because they are planning what will happen if you two get a divorce. Really, you should not stress about the conversation with your significant other. If you two truly love each other, the conversation will be welcomed with open arms.

Contact a DuPage County Prenuptial Agreement Lawyer

Though people rarely talk about prenuptial agreements, they should not be considered taboo. In the unlikely event that you and your significant other get a divorce, prenuptial agreements can save you a lot of time and money about certain decisions, making the process easier. If you are looking to get a prenuptial agreement before you are married, you should contact a skilled Aurora, IL prenuptial agreement attorney. The Law Office of Matthew M. Williams, P.C. can help you draft an agreement that benefits both you and your spouse. To schedule a consultation, call the office at 630-409-8184.

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinefletcher/2018/09/18/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-prenups/#6229d8ce62ba

https://mic.com/articles/132479/here-s-everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-prenups-but-were-afraid-to-ask#.t3RwLrlJ4

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2087&ChapterID=59