The main reason for signing a prenup is to ensure that certain agreed arrangements are enacted in the case of a future marriage breakdown and divorce, or in the event of the death of one of the spouses. While some people consider this a negative outlook to be entering a marriage with, a prenup can be a practical “insurance” strategy for people looking to protect their assets and/or children from a previous marriage. If the marriage does break down, an enforceable prenuptial agreement usually means that divorce proceedings suffer from fewer delays, less conflict, and less expense. For instance, it lays out clearly what happens to the house and contents so that there are no arguments about this to add to the stress of the divorce. A prenup can even protect you if you enter into a cohabitation (common law) arrangement rather than a formal marriage, though laws about asset division may vary.