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Most people are familiar with the concept of a prenuptial agreement—the legal contract that a couple enters into before their marriage to protect their wealth in case of divorce. But far fewer couples are aware of post-nuptial agreements. Unlike prenups, post-nups are legal contracts entered into after the marriage is already underway. The Post-Nup Solution: How to Save a Marriage in Crisis—or End It Fairly by Tom Gardiner, JD lays out the benefits of the post-nuptial agreement—a legal contract for marriages that can have an enormously positive effect on a marriage, or on a divorce if a marriage can’t be saved.
Below, he lays out just a few of the great benefits of post-nups.
Benefit #1: Sends a wake-up call
For spouses who are in denial about their own bad behavior, post-nups offer a much-needed wake-up call to those underlying issues and how they are harming the marriage.
Benefit #2: Catalyzes difficult but essential discussions
The post-nup offers a chance to discuss issues in a marriage that couples fail to otherwise talk about.
Benefit #3: Imposes accountability on both spouses
If each spouse knows exactly waht he or she would lose by failing to live up to a post-nup’s provisions, wouldn’t each spouse be more likely to do what the marriage needed to survive?
Benefit #4: Decreases game-playing
Instead of taking advantage of known spousal vulnerabilities through manipulation and combative behavior, the post-nup encourages honest, open discussion.
Benefit #5: Moves couples beyond a single moment in time
Is your marriage in trouble because one or both of you are fixated on a single instance of bad behavior? If so, a post-nup would help both of you broaden and deepen your discussion, focusing on the larger issues that are more important to sustaining the marriage.
Benefit #6: Offers incentives for behavioral change
The legal provisions in a post-nup help spouses become more aware of problematic actions and work harder at changing them.
Benefit #7: Sets equitable terms for a settlement if a divorce can’t be avoided
Make better decisions about custody, finances and the like when you still have a chance of saving the marriage (versus when you’re in the midst of a divorce). You are both more likely to consider the fairness of settlement terms when you’re not seeking vengeance or under the tremendous financial and emotional stress of the divorce process.
The Post-Nup Solution: How to Save a Marriage in Crisis—or End It Fairly was published on September 1, and is available wherever books and e-books are sold.
[Order it now $18] [Request a review copy]
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