Chapter 22

Ten Reasons to Consider a Prenup

In This Chapter

Defusing money fights during a marriage

Using a solid agreement to protect family members’ jobs in case of a divorce

Preserving a family’s financial and business legacy

Linking today’s prenup to tomorrow’s business valuation if there’s a divorce

Keeping all the money from going to the accountants and lawyers

Ah, love and marriage — they go together like a horse and carriage, as the old song goes. But love, marriage, and money? You just never hear much about dollars and cents in a love song, unless it’s in some twangy old country song about love gone wrong.

But what if a worldwide law forced new-spouses-to-be to sit down at a table for a few days with smart legal and tax advisors who’d force them to share credit reports, bank and brokerage accounts, and most importantly, their feelings about money and what they want to do with it for the rest of their lives?

That doesn’t sound like a bad idea, does it? How many couples do you know who talked extensively about money before they got hitched? If you answered, “the divorced ones!” that’s just what we wanted to hear.

Prenuptial agreements are a way to sort out financial issues before a marriage starts so that a couple knows what they have and where they’re going with it. Even if one spouse doesn’t own a business before the wedding, this subject is important to consider if one of them wants to start one later.

Why does a book about business valuation ...

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