Founding Attorney
By: NICOLE PAJER
When we hear about prenuptial agreements, we often think of A-list marriages, like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s $400 million agreement or Jay-Z and Beyonce’s $5 million per kid clause. Newly married former Vanderpump Rules star Stassi Schroeder also has openly discussed getting a pre-nup with her now-husband Beau Clark. But celebs aren’t the only ones signing prenuptial agreements before walking down the aisle. Many attorneys think these contracts are something that everyone who is planning to tie the knot should at least consider. But what are the pros of a prenup? What are the cons? And how the heck do you broach the subject of one with your partner? Parade talked with some experts in this space to answer these questions and more.
What is a prenup?
Dorit Goikhman, an attorney and founder of Off the Record Mediation Services LLC in California, explains that a prenuptial agreement is something that two parties enter into in anticipation of a marriage. This, she says, often deals with characterization of property that is coming into the marriage (for example, designating certain property as separate property) and sometimes deals with how income will be classified during a marriage. “Prenuptial agreements can also describe the parties wishes as to what would happen in the event of divorce, for example, would there be spousal support?” she shares.