A growing trend in prenups involves clauses designed to protect second-generation wealth. Parents who plan to leave significant assets or provide ongoing financial support are now insisting their children get prenups to ensure family money doesn't become divisible marital property in a divorce.
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To assert her financial contribution during divorce, Morgan calculated the market cost of her labor as a stay-at-home parent (nanny, cook, housekeeper). This reframed her non-monetary work into a tangible economic value, aiding in a fair settlement negotiation.
A prenuptial agreement isn't about planning for divorce; it's about customizing the legal and financial terms of your marriage contract. If you don't create your own, you are implicitly accepting the default contract written by your state's laws, which may not align with your intentions.
Massive wealth imposes a hidden 'social debt'—a crushing weight of expectations that dictates how heirs must live, who they can marry, and what values they must hold. As the Vanderbilt family story shows, this can destroy independence and happiness, effectively making heirs prisoners of their fortune.
Your choice of a life partner has a greater impact on your financial future than any career or investment. Financial incompatibility is the number one reason for divorce, underscoring that marriage is a financial contract at its core, where alignment on money matters more than romantic feelings for long-term stability.
Instead of battling over individual assets, couples should first negotiate the overarching ratio of their post-divorce living standards (e.g., 1:1 after a long marriage). This principle-based agreement provides a clear framework for dividing assets and support, preventing fights over minor items.
Laura Wasser warns against clauses that nullify a prenup after a set number of years. Courts can view these as "promotive of divorce," creating a financial incentive for one spouse to end the marriage just before the clause activates, which could potentially invalidate the entire agreement.
Divorce attorney Laura Wasser explains that while people request clauses about infidelity, weight gain, or even household chores, reputable lawyers refuse to include them. These "lifestyle" clauses are typically not enforceable by a judge, rendering them useless if challenged and potentially weakening the entire agreement.
The state where a couple divorces is determined by where they lived for the six months before filing, not where the marriage took place. This allows for "forum shopping" for favorable state laws. However, a prenuptial agreement can specify a "choice of venue" to pre-determine which state's law will apply.
Despite economic pressures, Millennials and Gen Z still desire traditional success milestones like homeownership. The key difference is that the path is no longer linear and the timeline has shifted. Financial planners must adapt their advice to this new, less predictable journey.
While a prenup is negotiated in good faith before marriage, a postnup often arises from a marital issue like infidelity. This timing can lead courts to view it as the first step in a divorce negotiation, not a marriage plan, making it more susceptible to being challenged and overturned.