Suffolk County Postnuptial Lawyers
There is so much that has been said about prenuptial agreements with so little having been said about postnuptial agreements. Marriage is a beautiful institution that most couples enter with the hope that it will last forever. Sadly, not all marriages last and some end in nasty divorce. You can protect yourself and secure your future by drafting and filing a postnuptial agreement with the family court in Suffolk County. It is important that you draft and file the agreement correctly for it to be considered legally binding.
Why Hire a Postnuptial Lawyer?
Hiring an experienced Suffolk County postnuptial lawyer is important because this professional is well versed in the provisions of the local and state laws concerning postnuptial agreements and will use his or her expertise to offer you legal counsel on what the law says about your situation. The postnuptial attorney will also help in negotiating a postnuptial agreement suggested by your spouse. Remember, this agreement is entered into after the two of you have married. Make sure that the postnuptial agreement contains terms that are agreeable to you. Getting the opinion of an experienced postnuptial lawyer is important because he or she will be able to see what you might not be able to see.
Can you afford to stay without a postnuptial agreement?
Well, if you already have a prenuptial agreement in place then that is okay. But, if you don’t have a prenup, then a postnuptial agreement is something that you should strongly consider. As stated above, most if not all couples expect their marriages would last forever. Sadly, this is not always the case. Life happens and some find themselves in divorce court seeking orders to annul their marriage. Just like a prenuptial agreement, a postnuptial agreement is important because it offers protection to both couples in case the marriage ends in a consented or contested divorce.
Why should you consider drafting and filing a postnuptial agreement?
If you have been hesitant to suggest a postnuptial agreement to your partner, you need not be hesitant. On the surface, suggesting a postnuptial agreement sounds like you are distrustful of the marriage or your partner but in actual sense, you are more trusting and caring because you are taking steps to protect both of you from unfortunate events that may or may not occur in the future. A postnuptial agreement is like an insurance policy of sorts and it only comes into effect when the “insured event”, which in this case is the termination of marriage or divorce, happens.
So, here are two main benefits that accrue to couples who opt for a postnuptial agreement:
i. Protects children in the current and previous marriages
Children are innocent and should not be affected by the divorce. Parents who cannot stand each other should not stay together “for the kids”. However, these parents should take measures in the postnuptial agreement to ensure that the lives of their children and those from a previous marriage are not disrupted unnecessarily. The parents can assign custodial and visitation rights and have it included in the postnuptial agreement describing who gets to keep the kids in case the marriage ends in a divorce.
ii. Encourages financial fidelity in the marriage
A postnuptial agreement encourages spouses to disclose their assets, liabilities, and debts to each other. Since this agreement is being entered into at a time that both parents still love and trust each other, the likelihood of either of them to hide an asset is minimized.
How an attorney can help
A postnuptial agreement is important and we have just shown you why. If you have been thinking of having one drafted for you, speak to our experienced Suffolk County Postnuptial Lawyers on how to get your postnuptial agreement drafted and filed in the relevant court.