Jersey City Pre & Post-Nuptial Agreements Attorney

Protecting the Interests of Both Spouses

Although you do not get married with the intention of getting a divorce, marriages do end. Approximately half of first marriages and 60% of second marriages end in divorce. The lawyers at Lori Cieckiewicz, P.C. can help you prepare for the unexpected. Let a Jersey City pre and post-nuptial agreements lawyer from our firm help you craft an agreement that protects your interests.

Pre-Nuptial Agreements in New Jersey

A pre-nuptial agreement establishes provisions for property division, division of debts, and financial support from one party to another in the case of divorce. The two parties enter into this agreement prior to the marriage in order to prevent significant loss and allow both parties to have a clear understanding of how assets and debts will be divided should the marriage dissolve.

People choose to enter into a pre-nuptial agreement for several reasons, including:

• A desire to keep assets within a family
• A desire to protect the interests of children from prior marriages
• Family property or substantial assets are brought into the marriage pre-marital
• A desire to alleviate stress and the unknown should a divorce become necessary

In some situations the court must decide whether a pre-nup agreement is valid. Several factors are considered in determining that the agreement is enforceable. This includes questions regarding whether the parties had representation from an attorney, had time to consider the terms, fully understood the agreement, entered into the agreement voluntarily, and there was full disclosure of assets.

New Jersey Post-Nuptial Agreements

Post-nuptial agreements are similar to pre-nuptial agreements, but they are crafted after the couple is already married or divorce may be in their future. This is often done when a married couple has a desire to make decisions regarding asset and debt distribution at a time when there is no marital discord. The process is again similar to a pre-nuptial agreement and enforceable as long as the agreement is prepared according to the law.