A prenuptial agreement, sometimes called a prenup, is a legal agreement between two people planning to marry. Essentially, the agreement outlines how the couple's property and assets will be divided in case of divorce. Furthermore, prenuptial agreements are an important consideration for many couples prior to getting married. However, bringing up the topic of a prenuptial agreement can sometimes lead to unexpected reactions from your fiancé. Today, we will discuss what you should do if your spouse gets angry at the idea of getting a prenup.

If you are interested in prenuptial agreements and what they may entail, contact an experienced family law attorney to understand better the process and the potential benefits signing such an agreement may have. 

What to Do if Your Spouse Reacts Negatively to the Idea

It is not uncommon for people to be uncomfortable regarding the topic of prenups. Some people believe prenups to be unromantic and that by signing a prenup, you thereby admit that your marriage will likely end in divorce. Accordingly, if your spouse becomes upset when you mention the possibility of a prenup, here are some steps you can take:

Unlike a prenuptial agreement, a postnuptial agreement is a binding agreement spouses enter into after they are already married. Postnuptial agreements have the potential to resolve a great many issues in a divorce before they can become issues. Postnuptial agreements can address property concerns, spousal maintenance, and other matters. It is important retain legal counsel when considering a postnuptial agreement so you can be confident you are entering into a favorable agreement.

Postnuptial Agreements in Illinois

Postnuptial agreements are often used to differentiate marital property from non-marital property. In a divorce, marital property is divided between the spouses and non-marital property is assigned to the spouse who originally owned the property. Classifying property in preparation for division during divorce can be complicated and often leads to disagreements. A postnuptial agreement can be used to classify property before a marriage breaks down so there is no question as to whether an asset is marital or non-marital. 

Postnuptial agreements are also often used to describe spousal maintenance terms. When one spouse gives up career advancement to be a homemaker or stay-at-home parent, they may worry about how they will make ends meet if the marriage breaks down. A postnuptial agreement can define spousal maintenance terms in advance. 

When a married couple knows their relationship is on its way out, divorce often seems like the only logical option. Legal separation is another type of separation you can file in court to recognize that you will now be living apart, but it does not have quite the same final effect as a divorce.

Legal separation can be particularly helpful for married couples who have important health insurance benefits dependent upon the couple remaining married. It can also benefit people who may belong to a religion forbidding divorce or who are just not sure whether divorce is quite right yet.

Divorce Issues During Legal Separation

A person begins a legal separation by submitting a petition establishing that they are living separate and apart from their spouse and supplying information similar to a dissolution of marriage petition. The person will be required to file for legal separation in the county where either their spouse resides, they both resided as husband and wife, or if a spouse cannot be located in Illinois, the county in which the person petitioning for legal separation resides.

You may be familiar with prenuptial agreements and their role in keeping assets separate as a couple enters marriage. Less well-known is the postnuptial agreement. Like a prenup, it can be an excellent way to protect individual assets, including property, life insurance considerations, and financial responsibilities. For a postnuptial agreement to be enforceable, it should be something that both spouses agree on. Working with a family law attorney before entering into any postnuptial agreement is also recommended.

What Are the Benefits of a Postnuptial Agreement?

A postnuptial agreement can:

• Protect significant individual wealth - For partners who brought considerable wealth into a marriage, such as a business, real estate property, or retirement savings, those assets can be kept separate from the marital estate in the postnuptial agreement. A postnuptial agreement may also be a smart move for you and your spouse if one of you has recently experienced a significant financial change, including a large inheritance or gift, or has recently acquired valuable property.
• Protect a spouse from the risks of the other spouse’s business venture - If one spouse starts a new business during the marriage, they may want to insulate their marriage assets from any debt the new business occurs. If the company were to fail, the agreement could protect the marital assets of the couple from being put at risk.
• Safeguard assets if you are considering divorce - For couples who are having marital difficulties but who have not yet begun the divorce process, a postnuptial agreement can be used to safeguard certain assets that were brought into the marriage by each individual. However, you cannot make arrangements for child custody or child support in the agreement. Those decisions can only be made during the legal divorce proceedings.

How Is a Postnuptial Agreement Used in an Illinois Divorce?

If your marriage does end in a divorce, the judge will use a postnuptial agreement as the basis for property division as long as it is fair and both parties entered into the agreement in good faith. Since Illinois is an equitable distribution state, marital assets and property will be divided fairly, not evenly, between the spouses. Therefore, any prenuptial or postnuptial agreement will set a framework for the judge’s decision, but the final division of property is up to their discretion.

Being a parent comes with its own array of practical, financial, and sometimes, legal difficulties. If you are a mother or father in Cook County, you may have questions and concerns about paternity. Paternity is the legal relationship between a father and his child. In some cases, paternity is presumed by law and no further action is required to establish the legal father-child relationship. Other times, the parents will need to take certain actions to establish the rights and responsibilities that come with being a father.

You May Need to Take Action to Establish Paternity

If the mother and father were married when the child was conceived and/or born, paternity is presumed. This means that Illinois automatically assumes that the mother’s husband is the father of her baby. However, if the parents are unmarried, paternity may need to be established through a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity (VAP). Paternity can also be established through a court order or administrative order through the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS). Sometimes, DNA paternity testing is needed to confirm the father’s biological relationship to the child.

You May Not Be Able to Get Child Support Until You Establish Paternity

Raising a child is expensive. Illinois expects both parents to contribute to a child’s financial needs even if the parents are unmarried or divorced. If you are a parent who is not currently receiving child support but you want to get an official child support order, you will need to make sure paternity is established. Once paternity is established through one of the means listed above, you can petition the court for child support. Child support is calculated based on both parents’ net incomes.