2016: Year of the Prenup







The Wedding season is almost upon us and we are told the average wedding now costs £20,500.
The Family Team at Greene & Greene has seen a significant increase in couples seeking Prenuptial Agreements. There are often practical reasons why having a Nuptial Agreement in place make sense, such as:
- if one or both of the couple already have property or other material assets;
- if one or both of the couple have received or will receive inheritance;
- if one or both of the couple have been previously married and divorced and want to ensure wealth is passed to their children; and
- if younger couples are being encouraged to enter into a Nuptial Agreement by their parents to protect wealth within the family.
As the law currently stands the court should follow a Prenuptial Agreement that is freely entered into by the couple with a full appreciation of its implications provided it is fundamentally fair. Accordingly, anyone signing a Prenuptial Agreement should expect the court to hold them to its terms.
Like an insurance policy, hopefully it is something that you will not need to refer to, but latest figures suggest that 42% of marriages end in divorce.
It is best to plan a Prenuptial Agreement months in advance of the wedding. However if you are near to the wedding date or you are already married it is not too late because it is possible to enter into a Postnuptial Agreement (one that is signed after the marriage).
For further advice on Nuptial Agreements please contact Melanie Pilmer a solicitor in the Greene & Greene Family Team on 01284 717 418 or melaniepilmer@greene-greene.com. To find out more about Greene & Greene please view www.greene-greene.com and follow @greenegreenelaw on Twitter.