Many Americans, including Virginians, have mixed feelings about premarital legal agreements. Some consider legal arrangements before a wedding as unromantic and perhaps a signal that one's future spouse is not committed to the other. Some, however, understand that there are no guarantees that a marriage will last and that planning for the future is important even if it is not entirely predictable. For this reason, more and more couples are signing prenuptial agreements to deal with the serious issues that often come with the dissolution of a marriage.
Should gay couples in Virginia sign prenuptial agreements?
In a recent hearing, a Virginia court has overturned state law and lifted the ban on gay marriages, creating a major legal victory for the LGBT community. The court further ruled that the state must respect same-sex marriages being carried out legally in other states. If this ruling survives Virginia Supreme Court review, same-sex couples in the state will finally be on the same footing as their heterosexual counterparts.
A look at prenuptial agreements
Prenuptial agreements sometimes get a bad rap. There are some soon-to-be married couples who do not believe pre-nuptials to be in line with their ideas of marriage. The fact remains, however, that couples have a statistically high chance of getting a divorce. Every situation is different, but it never hurts to plan ahead. And, with an understanding of what prenuptial agreements entail, many are more willing to consider them as an option and become open to discussing the option with their partners.
Stay-at-home parents should consider postnuptial agreements
For many Virginia residents, the benefits of signing a prenuptial agreement are obvious. Protecting a couple's future interests in regards to property division, and parenting arrangements is something that is a no-brainer for some. However, many still hold the belief that prenuptial agreements conflict with their ideas of marriage and commitment. So they opt out of signing a prenuptial agreement -- which is okay for some people, but it becomes a little tricky when one of the parents decides to become a full-time caretaker. In these situations, a postnuptial agreement can oftentimes be helpful.
What to consider when discussing a prenuptial agreement
Prenuptial agreements used to be associated only with wealthy couples and families. That isn't the case anymore as more couples in the United States are creating prenuptial agreements before they tie the knot.
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