When you hear wedding bells on the horizon it is difficult, awkward and sometimes downright unnerving discussing a prenuptial agreement with your future spouse. If you view a prenuptial agreement, however, as an insurance policy, then the concept of entering into a prenuptial agreement is really no different than buying auto insurance...you don't purchase the auto insurance intending to have an accident, no more than you enter into a prenuptial anticipating a divorce. As with insurance, it is a good idea to have "just in case."

Although a prenuptial agreement may benefit any potential married person, there are certain situations where we highly recommend entering into a prenuptial agreement, specifically where:

• Either party comes into the marriage with substantial separate assets
• Either or both parties come into the marriage with children from a previous relationship
• Either party owns a business, particularly when it is a family business
• A party has or stands to receive in the future, an inheritance or
• A party is a beneficiary of a trust.

A prenuptial agreement may be detailed down to determining how finances and financial responsibility are allocated during the marriage, to providing for the other spouse upon one spouse's death, to determining most rights and responsibilities in the event the marriage ends.

Both prospective husband and wife require his/her own legal counsel before signing a prenuptial agreement. As often as our clients request that we draft the agreement we just as frequently receive requests to review and revise an agreement presented by the other future spouse. Thereafter, through conferences and negotiations with the other attorney and the parties, we ensure that our client's objectives are met before they walk down the aisle.

At the Law Office of Cindy S. Vova, P.A. we carefully evaluate our client's objectives in creating the prenuptial agreement, ask thought-provoking questions to ensure all areas, including those the client may not have thought about, are addressed, and provide creative and equitable means allowing the client to develop and sign a fair agreement protecting the client's rights.

Postnuptial agreements are, essentially, similar to prenuptial agreements, but occur AFTER a marriage takes place. Usually, it is more difficult for parties already married to agree on a postnuptial agreement. There are often circumstances, however, where postnuptial agreements are appropriate. For instance, if one is about to receive an inheritance, one may wish to protect same in the event of divorce, and the other spouse may not be adverse to the postnuptial under those circumstances.

If you anticipate some major change in your life, such as a marriage, or a change in your financial situation, health or the like, contact the law Office of Cindy S. Vova and see if a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement may be right for your situation.