Being married can be an important step in a couple’s life and you must make sure that you are prepared for all the different things that will change once you are married. There are many things that can change over the course of a marriage including how big your family is and your financial status. You should seriously think about how all the things that might change in your marriage and what you want to do about that.

Prenuptial agreements can be one of the most helpful ways to make sure that if a divorce happens, your assets and family are secure. This type of agreement is when you and your spouse sit down before the wedding and discuss what will happen with all your assets. You will sit down with your future spouse to discuss what might happen with future children as well as any property you obtain during the marriage. This will be discussed in the presence of a lawyer and will be written out by the same lawyer as well. The two of you need to discuss exact details for what will be written out in your prenuptial agreement.

The first thing that needs to be written out is what will happen with any future kids that you may have or adopt during your marriage. There are many options that you can take while you are married and trying to have children. Even if you don’t plan on having children, you may want to make a note in the agreement of what you would like to do just in case the issue of children comes up.

The next thing that you should consider putting in to your prenup would be any financial aspects that you might want to include in the process. When you are married over a long period of time, financial status with you and your spouse can change. You need to be prepaired for anything that might come up during a divorce. Deciding how you will divide the assets in a prenuptial agreement can be a helpful tool if a divorce ever comes up between you and your spouse. Dividing the assets can be one of the hardest parts during a divorce, so having things already planned out can be one of the best things that you could do for the future.

For more information, contact the Boca Raton Divorce Lawyers of Eric Klein and Associates at http://kleinattorneys.com

Joseph Devine

Love comes in the most unexpected time. When I was young, I would always tell my family that I will get married at the age of 25. By that time, I am through with my studies and probably working already. I promise to help my family after I finish school. I dream a lot of dreams actually. I planned my life. I intend to finish my studies at a short time. I go to school even during summer to shorten the time of my studies. I fared well in school. I was always a pride and joy of my parents. But I failed miserably. I got pregnant when I was 19 and graduating already in college. You could just imagine the dismay in my parents’ face. I failed them terribly. All my dreams were shattered just because I hurried in life.

Is there a right time to get married? Certainly YES. Actually, it is not apt to say that one has to be 25 and above to get married. It is a must that one has to be prepared financially and psychologically before plunging into marriage. Marriage can wait. Keep your values as much as possible. It is so easy to get married but very tough to stay married. Marriage is a lifetime commitment. It is a point of no return especially here in the Philippines. Divorce is not legal here and annulment costs so much. If you have no means and you want to get out of marriage, you can’t easily get out. You’re doomed. So for those who are in a hurry, you better think twice. Life is so complicated as it is. Nothing compares to a life with no responsibilities and carefree. Stay happy. As the song goes…wise men say only fools rush in…Don’t be one.

Are you and your spouse worried about what’s happening with your savings, your pension, your children’s college funds, or just staying employed? The Dow Jones is under 10,000 and European banks sound as shaky as the US banks. Do you find yourself fearful of your futures together? Do you find yourselves disagreeing with your partner about how to weather this financial meltdown? Do you find yourselves arguing because one of you makes more money and feels like they have more control over how money is spent? When money gets tight as a result of reduced income or increased mortgage payments and is combined with financial fears of the future, those old money arguments (my money vs. your money) may be causing you problems again. It is time for the two of you to have discussions again about money.

In his book Love & Money, Jeff Opdyke says: “It’s not really about the money. It’s about creating another level of intimacy in your relationship and bestowing trust on each other.” He further recommends joint accounts for couples which explicitly demonstrates the trust you have with your spouse.

When we keep secrets from our spouse about how much we make, how we spend money, or even how much money we have, this indicates a measure of distrust in the other person. When times are tough like now, you need to trust and have faith in your legal and romantic partner. All your money and all your debts are consider joint by the state. If you are not considering them joint, you are losing out. You lose resources that your partner brings to solving financial problems. You lose a feeling of honesty about yourself. And you lose some ability to manage your family finances in the best way possible.

If the two of you are not quite ready to combine your accounts, at least try to agree on and be committed to the following:

1. Agree to live within your means, so that expenses do not exceed your income.

2. Agree to open, honest communication about money.

3. Promise not to blame one another, judge each other, or keep secrets about money.

4. Be prepared to listen to your partner and understand their perspective.

You both need to be fully aware of the family gross and net income, to know where household (and individual) money goes each month and to know how much debt you have and the interest costs you are paying.

If you are unable to have a frank and open discussion about your money with your spouse, you may benefit from seeing a marriage counselor. The National Registry of Marriage Friendly Therapists (www.marriagefriendlytherapist.com) is a good resource for finding a therapist who is invested in helping you save your marriage. If you are unable to curb your spending, you might consider Debtors Anonymous, an organization for people trying to reduce debt and regain solvency. If you need a housing counselor or help with your mortgage, go to the web site of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (www.hud.gov) and click on the Hope for Homeowners link.

It’s important to realize you are not alone. Many couples and families are struggling. Don’t let your marriage be a casualty of the worst financial disaster most of us have ever seen. You and your spouse are in this together. Get the help you need to keep your marriage stable and safe.

If you decide that you might need marriage counseling, check out my website, http://www.PamLipe.com My specialty is marriage and relationship counseling. For 20 years, I have been helping couples find the love and support they want in their marriages. My therapy practice serves the metropolitan area of Minneapolis/St.Paul, MN.