Prenuptial And Postnuptial Agreements
Prenuptial agreements are important for couples planning to marry. Many people believe prenuptial agreements are only for the rich and famous. However, prenuptial agreements help all couples. Here are a few reasons why:
They Keep Your Non-Marital Property Non-Marital. The property you brought into the marriage is yours. But over time it is common for people to start mixing things up. Inheritance funds get deposited into joint accounts; properties get transferred into joint names…and all for good reason. Unfortunately, tracing commingled property is expensive, and hard to prove. But, if you put it in writing at the beginning, you can avoid this task and save some money down the road.
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You Can Change the Law
Right now in Florida, there has been an ongoing debate about alimony. When you go to court, a judge has to follow state law regarding alimony. However, through an agreement you can modify Florida’s legal standards for awarding alimony, in addition to modifying what the current law says about the amount of support and the duration of the alimony period.
Avoid Expensive Divorces. Let’s face it, divorce can be expensive, and the cases don’t end quickly. A prenuptial agreement can simplify things by resolving issues ahead of time, way before the divorce is even filed. Once you have entered an agreement spelling out what happens in the event of a divorce, the case becomes a lot cheaper, simpler and faster to resolve.
Protect Your Children’s Inheritance. Prenuptial agreements protect property from falling into the hands of the new spouse, often seen by children from earlier marriages as a “gold digger.” An agreement helps assure your children that any inheritance is protected, and they don’t need to resent the new spouse.
The probability of divorce is around 50% for first marriages. For second marriages, it’s more like 67%. What some people don’t realize is that going through a second, third, or fourth divorce can be more complicated than first-time divorces.
In multiple divorces, couples are older, and have less time to make up for losses. Also, couples are competing for dwindling resources. Child-support, alimony, and dividing up of the retirement accounts may still be pending, and there can be little left to divide in a second divorce.
Prenuptial agreements can also be set aside. Florida has both case law and a statute to help lawyers, judges and the parties determine if a prenuptial agreement is enforceable. Florida courts must consider things such as fraud, duress, coercion, in addition to the unfairness of the agreement, and whether there was any financial disclosure.
Postnuptial agreements are similar to prenuptial agreements, but are entered into after a marriage. Postnups can cover everything from how to divide financial assets in divorce to limits on partners’ weight gain – just as prenups can.
Prenuptial agreements and Postnuptial agreements can be extremely important if you are thinking of marrying. They are not just for the ultra-rich, but are an important part of every healthy marriage decision.
Meet Your Lawyer
Ronald H. Kauffman has practiced law in Florida since 1993, and was admitted to the State Bar of California in 1992. Additionally, Ron was admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the U.S. District Court for Southern District of Florida, and the U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit.
After completing a judicial clerkship, Ron handled complex consumer protection and antitrust matters at the Federal Trade Commission before entering practice. He is board certified in marital and family law by the Florida Bar.
What is Your Family Law Issue? Start Here to Explore the Practice:
Divorce
Divorce is among the most challenging experiences. Your long-term financial stability and other critical decisions will be made at the same time you are coping with the emotional fallout of a failed marriage.
Family Law
There are a number of attorneys in South Florida, but only a handful are board certified in marital and family law by the Supreme Court of Florida and the Florida Bar. Ronald H. Kauffman is one of them.
Paternity
Paternity actions are filed in order to legally establish a child’s biological father, typically for the purposes of protecting one’s parental rights or to allow the mother to acquire child support from the father.
Prenuptial And Postnuptial Agreements
Prenuptial agreements are important for couples planning to marry. Many people believe prenuptial agreements are only for the rich and famous. However, prenuptial agreements help all couples.
Parental Relocation
When one parent wants to move more than 50 miles from their current address with a minor child, they will need either the consent of the other parent, or a court order granting a relocation petition.
Child Support
The amount of the monthly payment is determined by a formula that is spelled out in the Florida Child Support Guidelines. A number of factors are considered in setting the amount of child support that will be paid.