Each successive generation sees marriage differently, and millennials are no different. One way they’re breaking with the past is through their embrace of the prenuptial agreement or “prenup.”
The prenup is essentially a contract between soon-to-be-married people that lays out who gets what in the event of divorce. In the past, these agreements were considered taboo due to their perceived incongruence with marital values. Millennials, however, apparently see things differently – here’s why:
They’re getting married later
Millennials are getting married at a much older age than previous generations. They’re putting off marriage to finish graduate school and start careers.
Because millennials are heading into marriage at more mature ages, they’re also heading into marriage with more wealth – real estate, stock options, cars, etc. A prenup is a great way to ensure they retain possession of the assets they’ve worked hard to acquire.
Marriage as a business decision
Millennials don’t ascribe the same cultural and spiritual significance to the rite of marriage; rather, they see tying the knot as a practical matter in the same vein as choosing a college or picking a career path. We have back up plans in other facets of life, so why not with marriage?
They know the pain of divorce
Millennials were mostly reared by members of the baby boomer generation – a generation with an astonishingly high divorce rate. Thus, many 30 somethings are all too familiar with the pain a messy divorce can cause. Why not do everything possible to ensure a smooth separation in the event divorce becomes inevitable?
Prenups don’t sound all that complicated, but they’re complex legal documents that should only be drafted with the help of an experienced divorce lawyer.
A divorce lawyer knows how a judge will interpret key terms and can structure the agreement to afford their clients the greatest protection possible.
Bay Area residents shouldn’t hesitate to reach out. If cost is a concern, many lawyers offer a free initial consultation at no out-of-pocket cost to the client.
