According to some of the nation’s top divorce experts, a postnupial agreement can be a productive way of dealing with practical and financial issues that often threaten the long-term viability of a marriage.
Postnup Popularity
Postnups are now more popular that ever. A nationwide study, released in 2007 by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, found nearly half of the lawyers they polled had seen an increase in the numbers of clients asking for postnups.
And in his own informal polling since that study was conducted, AAML President, Ken Altshulerhas found a steady uptick in the number of couples (across all age groups)that are drafting postnuptial agreements.
“I’m starting to see these in all sorts of situations,” he says. “From a couple where the husband had a drinking problem, and after the third DUI, his wife demanded one, to a case where a father told his daughter [that] she would be cut out of his will if her husband didn’t sign a postnup.”
Postnups are growing in popularity – a similar trend that was seen 20 years ago with prenups – among all income brackets. It seems more and more couples are becoming comfortable with the idea of hiring a lawyer to work out sticking relationship issues.
What Exactly do Postnups Cover?
Anything you can imagine.
Leading divorce attorney, Sanford Ain, has seen a number of requests: couples who want to specify when, where, and how often they’ll be taking vacations, to couples who get stuck deciding responsibilities such as weeding and raking the backyard.
Why Postnups Now?
Ain estimates about 10 percent of his clients request postnups. He still says such lifestyle provisions are still in the minority, but that the economic downturn might be the cause of the increase in postnuptial agreements as both husbands and wives look to secure their finances – just in case the marriage doesn’t make it through the recession.
“The value of everyone’s assets has diminished,” Ain says. “In many cases, people want to know in writing what their financial state would look like in the future if they got divorced.”
For advice on marriage and postnuptial agreements and all it’s aspects, you need the expert law firm of Korol and Velen, certified family law specialists. Schedule a consultation today.