You may think that couples who sign a prenup are already being more realistic than couples that don’t, admitting that many marriages end and that they want to have paperwork in place to protect themselves if that happens. This is true, but it’s important to remember that even those who sign prenups can fall victim to unrealistic expectations that can cost them.
For example, some couples have signed prenups that are unfair, assuming they’ll never need them, anyway. They’re still so in love as the wedding day draws closer. One partner may decide to sign away all rights to his or her home and retirement savings, not wanting to upset the other person and willing to sign whatever is put on the table.
This isn’t wise at all, as these agreements are binding, even if you wish you hadn’t signed it later. If the relationship grows rocky in the next ten years, you could realize you really should have kept your ownership of 50 percent of the house, rather than handing it all to your spouse on a silver platter.
The problem here is that you may be so intent on getting married that you’ll let that cause you to make unrealistic, imprudent decisions. If you question some aspect of the prenup, is your significant other going to get angry and break it off? Perhaps, but signing an unfair agreement just to keep this from happening isn’t a good solution.
If you’re going to use a prenup in Florida, be sure you know exactly what it means, the legal impact it has, and whether or not you really agree with it.