We would like to offer you the £40 divorceuk pre-nuptial agreement service.

WHAT IS A PRE-NUPTIAL AGREEMENT?

In simple terms it is a written contract between parties who are about to get married. The contract terms are intended to bind the parties to a certain future course of action. Most people would assume that the intention is to avoid one party claiming "family money" from the other party in a divorce. However, it could be a very useful means of avoiding possible conflict on other matters eg. if a couple come from mixed religious background or different countries it could lay out the intention regarding religion or education of children.

A pre-nuptial agreement cannot attempt to override the laws of the country eg. you could not have a clause preventing one spouse from applying to the child support agency. Thus, the terms should be reasonable and put against the context of local laws. Otherwise, the courts, if it comes to that, will not uphold the contract terms. Here are some pros and cons.

FOR:

1. It can record each parties financial standing at the outset of a marriage which could be a very useful reference point in a later separation dispute

2. It can bring clarity to many "debatable" points between the parties eg, the type of wedding desired, religion and education of future children, including or excluding lifestyle issues eg, golf no more than once per week

3. It can keep the future "in-laws" happy, if there is concern about financial imbalance between the parties.

AGAINST:

1. Even raising the issue of a pre nuptial with your partner may put a strain on the relationship

2. Is it really necessary as you may find that the law already covers what you are trying to deal with?

3. Do not assume that the court will enforce the terms particularly when trying to avoid normal financial settlement terms.

WHAT TO DO NEXT?

If you are thinking about entering into a pre-nuptial agreement we recommend that you use our Pre-Nuptial Agreement pack and have the terms checked by a specialist family lawyer.

To order our Pre-Nuptial Agreement pack please complete and submit the form below.
The pack, which costs £40.00, includes a Pre-Nuptial Agreement Form and a completed example.