Thoughtful marital-agreement counsel for ownership interests, trusts, inheritances, and significant separate assets. Relevant Law represents one client; the other partner should have independent counsel.
What Are Marital Agreements
Marital agreements, whether prenuptial or postnuptial, are contracts between spouses or prospective spouses that can address property rights, financial responsibilities, ownership interests, trusts, inheritances, and significant separate assets. They are planning documents, not a family-law engagement.
The process calls for honest discussion of finances, expectations, and values. Each partner should have the opportunity to obtain independent legal advice before signing.
Marital agreements can be particularly useful for people with business interests, significant separate assets, children from prior relationships, trusts, or expected inheritances. Relevant Law advises one client; the other partner should retain separate counsel.
Why It Matters
Keep assets you bring to the marriage separate, especially family wealth, business interests, or expected inheritances.
The prenup conversation often reveals assumptions about money that are better discussed before marriage.
Prevent a business you built from becoming a marital asset subject to division.
Ensure children from prior relationships are protected and inheritance plans aren't disrupted.
A marital agreement can document agreed expectations around separate assets, ownership interests, trusts, inheritances, and financial responsibilities.
Couples often find that the prenup process improves their communication about difficult topics.
Services
Relevant Law advises one client in the planning, drafting, review, and execution of an agreement. The other partner should obtain independent counsel.
A prenuptial agreement is signed before marriage and can establish agreed expectations for ownership interests, significant separate assets, inheritances, trusts, and financial responsibilities. Relevant Law represents one client in preparing or reviewing the agreement.
A postnuptial agreement is signed after marriage and can address changed circumstances, including a new business interest, inheritance, trust, or other significant separate asset. Relevant Law represents one spouse; the other spouse should consult independent counsel.
For unmarried couples living together, a cohabitation agreement can document property ownership and financial responsibilities. Relevant Law represents one client in the planning and drafting process.
Marital agreements often require careful identification and classification of separate assets, ownership interests, trusts, inheritances, and marital property. Your lawyer helps one client document the information relevant to the agreement.
Business owners can use marital agreements to address ownership interests, future contributions, and coordination with entity governance documents. Relevant Law provides counsel to one client on the agreement and related planning.
Marital agreements should coordinate with estate plans. Your lawyer ensures your prenup or postnup works with your wills, trusts, and beneficiary designations to achieve your overall planning goals.
As circumstances change, an existing agreement may warrant review or amendment. Your lawyer advises one client on documentation that reflects the parties' updated plans and applicable requirements.
Marital agreements must meet applicable legal requirements. Lawyers review an existing agreement or draft a new one for one client, with attention to disclosure, execution formalities, and the importance of the other partner having independent counsel.
The Process
Creating a marital agreement requires a careful process. Your lawyer guides you as the firm's client, while the other partner has independent counsel.
Your lawyer meets with you to understand your goals, assets, ownership interests, and planning priorities. Relevant Law represents one client in the matter.
Client-specific
The parties exchange the financial information needed for informed agreement planning. Your lawyer advises you on the information and disclosures relevant to your agreement.
Client-specific
Your lawyer communicates with the other partner's independent counsel about proposed terms and documents your position.
Client-specific
The agreement is prepared to reflect the parties' agreed terms, with attention to applicable requirements and execution formalities.
Client-specific
You review the draft with your lawyer. The other partner reviews it with independent counsel, and counsel exchange any proposed revisions.
Client-specific
The parties sign the final agreement with the appropriate formalities. For prenups, allow sufficient time before the wedding for thoughtful review and independent counsel.
As scheduled
Common Questions
Each party should have independent counsel. Relevant Law represents one client only; the other partner should retain a separate lawyer to review the agreement and advise on that partner's interests.
Start well before the wedding so each partner has time for financial disclosure, thoughtful review, and independent legal counsel. The appropriate timing depends on the circumstances and applicable law.
No. Prenups are valuable for anyone with assets, debts, business interests, children from prior relationships, or simply a desire for clarity about financial expectations. They're particularly important for business owners, professionals with student debt, and those expecting inheritances.
Whether and how an agreement can address financial provisions depends on the applicable law and the parties' circumstances. Your lawyer can advise you, as the firm's client, on proposed terms and documentation.
Applicable requirements vary by state. Financial disclosure, adequate time for review, appropriate execution formalities, and independent counsel for each party are important considerations. Relevant Law represents one client; the other partner should have separate counsel.
Yes. Postnuptial agreements serve similar purposes and are available to already-married couples. They're common when circumstances change, such as starting a business, receiving an inheritance, or simply wanting financial clarity.
Schedule a consultation to discuss your situation, ownership interests, and planning goals. Relevant Law represents one client; the other partner should have independent counsel.
Find Your Office