You re thinking of getting hitched, but afraid you'll end up ditched. About 2.4 million couples tied the knot in 1997, but another 1.2 million knots unraveled, according to the National Center for Health, which keeps statistics on marriage and divorce. Some love birds are turning to pre-nuptial agreements to avoid the financial problems that can arise when a couple separates. An open discussion about all aspects of marriage prior to the ceremony is definitely a positive thing, says Cassedy. Often, one party talks to a lawyer, who writes the contract and sends it to the fianc s lawyer.
Most communication goes on between attorneys rather than the couple.
Sometimes, a bride or groom is surprised with a pre-nuptial agreement just days before the ceremony and feels pressured to sign without careful consideration or discussion. The friends and family have already arrived, the limo is waiting outside, the ice-sculptures are melting and the bride or groom has to sign immediately or send everyone home. That kind of situation bodes badly for both the pre-nup drafter and the spouse. If you draft a pre-nup and pull this trick, you should know that the kind of pressure you have put on your significant other may not only cause distrust and tension within the marriage, it may later give the court reason to throw out the whole contract. If you're the one being forced to sign, you should re-examine your relationship with your future spouse.