In the intricate tapestry of marriage, challenges often emerge, testing the bonds between spouses. However, in Massachusetts, couples are increasingly discovering a valuable tool to navigate these challenges: the postnuptial agreement. But, how can couples use postnups to save their marriages? Deciphering postnuptial agreements A postnuptial agreement, or postnup, as it is commonly known, is a legal contract crafted by spouses after marriage. This agreement delineates the handling of assets, debts and financial matters in the event of a divorce. Yet, its significance transcends mere preparatio ..read more

Some couples enter into marriage with a very specific contract already in place. Future spouses have long had the option of drafting a prenuptial agreement as a way to clarify expectations for the marriage and to take the conflict out of divorce proceedings, should divorce prove necessary. In recent years, postnuptial agreements have become an increasingly popular alternative to prenuptial agreements. Couples that did not sign a contract prior to marriage may decide to negotiate an arrangement during their marriage. The rules for postnuptial agreements in Massachusetts are different than the r ..read more

Although most people have heard of prenuptial agreements, fewer adults in Massachusetts are familiar with postnuptial agreements. As the names imply, the biggest difference between these two types of marital contracts is when a couple decides to sign them. Those who have already married cannot create a prenuptial agreement, but they can agree to terms in a postnuptial agreement that could result in many of the same legal protections. The idea of negotiating a contract with one’s spouse puts some people off, but for many couples, the benefits of a postnuptial agreement are hard to ignore. Prote ..read more

Married couples often own businesses together. In some cases, this means they started out as co-workers and then tied the knot. But they also may have approached the situation as a married couple with a vision of working for themselves, and then they started their company as a way to turn this dream into reality. What if they decide to get divorced? Things can get very complicated when one of the most valuable assets that a couple owns – with value that needs to be divided during divorce – is a business. Below are three of the different options that they might choose to utilize moving forward ..read more

Most couples have heard about, and probably created, prenuptial agreements to help address issues regarding property division in the event of a divorce. While you cannot create one after getting married, you can still draft a marital contract that almost serves the same purpose as the prenup. This document is known as the postnuptial agreement. A postnuptial agreement is entered into by an already married couple. This document discloses each party’s property as well as the marital property. It also outlines each party’s rights and responsibilities during the marriage as well as how the propert ..read more

Some people find the idea of a postnuptial agreement a bit confusing. They know about prenuptial agreements because these premarital contracts have been part of popular culture for decades. Postnuptial agreements are less common and therefore less well-known. As you can likely infer from the name, a postnuptial agreement is a marital contract that you sign while already married. Families in a broad range of circumstances may benefit from drafting and signing a postnuptial agreement, especially in any of the three situations below. After the discovery of spousal misconduct Learning that your sp ..read more

If you may divorce and have a prenuptial agreement, it’s a good idea to take that prenuptial agreement to your attorney’s office to go over it. There are some cases in which a prenuptial agreement could be invalidated, so you will want to be sure that your prenuptial agreement is valid before you seek out your divorce. If it is not valid, then you will need to take additional steps to protect yourself. Normally, when two people sign a prenuptial agreement, they are doing so with the understanding that it is protecting their interests. However, there are times when people bring up a prenuptial ..read more

A prenup is the number one thing that can protect your assets (including your fledgling business) when you get a divorce but a lot of folks are very hesitant about bringing up the subject to their intended spouses. Why? They’re usually afraid that they’ll look incredibly selfish, which could drive their intended spouse away long before they reach the altar. So, how can you ask for a prenup without causing a breakup? Here are some tips: Start the conversation early. You do not want to wait until the wedding attire is ordered, the venue is chosen and the invitations to your guests have been mail ..read more

Last autumn, Governor Patrick signed a bill into law which fundamentally changed the ways in which alimony is calculated in Massachusetts. While the new law has not received an extraordinary amount of press, this sweeping reform is certainly worthy of such coverage. The new law was championed by the “2nd Wives Club,” an offshoot of the organization “Mass Alimony Reform.” The group’s primary concern stemmed from the reality that previous state law was requiring certain women to contribute portions of their paychecks to the previous spouses of their current married partners. The Alimony Reform A ..read more