Prenuptial agreements have shed their stigma among younger generations. A recent survey found that 45% of millennials and 52% of Gen Z believe prenups are a responsible financial planning tool.
Why the Shift?
- Student loan debt: Partners want to protect each other from pre-marital debt
- Entrepreneurship: Protecting business interests before marriage
- Second marriages: Learning from first divorce experience
- Real estate: Protecting home equity brought into marriage
- Crypto/digital assets: Clarifying ownership of complex assets
What a Prenup Should Cover
Asset protection, debt allocation, spousal support terms, inheritance rights, and business ownership. It cannot include child custody or child support terms — courts always decide those based on the child's best interest.
Costs
A standard prenup costs $1,500-$3,000 per person (each side needs their own attorney). Online services offer templates for $200-$500 but may not hold up in court without proper legal review.
The key to an enforceable prenup: full financial disclosure, separate legal counsel, no coercion, and signing well before the wedding (not the night before).
