Prenuptial Agreements

by Stoner, Katherine E.

• ISBN13: 9781413303964
• ISBN10: 141330396X
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-11-30
• Publisher: Nolo

Summary

Premarital agreements can be touchy subject, but this book helps make the subject -- and making a contract -- as easy as possible.

Author Biography

Katherine E. Stoner is an attorney and mediator in private practice

Table of Contents

How to Use This Book
How This Book Can Help You	2	(1)
Using This Book to Draft Your Own Prenup	2	(1)
Our Assumptions	3	(3)
Icons Used in This Book	6
A Prenup Primer
How Prenups Work	2	(4)
How to Make a Prenup	6
Is a Prenup Right for You?
What You Can Do With a Prenup	2	(7)
What You Can't Do With a Prenup	9	(1)
Will a Prenup Work for You?	10
Deciding on the Specifics
Evaluating Your Situation	2	(8)
Talking It Through	10	(5)
Will Your Prenup Pass the Fairness Test?	15
Understanding Your State's Law
Which Laws Apply to Your Prenup?	2	(1)
Preparing to Review the Law	3	(1)
An Overview of State Law	4	(22)
Researching State Law	26	(4)
Do You Still Want a Prenup?	30
Assembling Your Draft Agreement: The Basics
Outline of Your Prenup	2	(1)
Using a Computer vs. Working by Hand	3	(2)
Choosing the Clauses for Your Prenup	5	(56)
Assembling the Pages of Your Draft	61	(1)
Sample Prenups	61
Additional Provisions for Your Prenup
Optional Paragraph 1: Estate Planning Matters	2	(5)
Optional Paragraph 2: Property Transfers or Purchases of Insurance Upon Marriage	7	(3)
Optional Paragraph 3: Provisions Applicable to Divorce	10	(17)
Optional Paragraph 4: Other Matters	27
Turning Your Draft Into a Binding Agreement
Planning Ahead	2	(1)
Finding Good Lawyers	2	(4)
Preparing the Final Agreement	6	(3)
Preparing an Abstract of the Agreement	9	(1)
If Problems Arise	10	(2)
Signing the Agreement: Formalities and Fun	12
Working Together
Five Keys to Working Together Successfully	2	(2)
A Suggested Approach to Working Together	4	(1)
Communicating Effectively	5	(4)
Negotiating Lovingly	9	(3)
What to Do When Problems Arise	12
After You've Made a Prenup
Storing the Original Agreement and Copies	2	(1)
Recording an Abstract or Memorandum of the Agreement	2	(3)
Following Your Own Rules	5	(1)
Completing Your Estate Plan	6	(2)
Reviewing the Agreement	8	(1)
Changing Your Prenup: Postnuptial Agreements	8	(1)
Closing Thoughts	9
Appendixes
A. How to Use the CD-ROM
A. Installing the Form Files Onto Your Computer	2	(1)
B. Using the Word Processing Files to Create Documents	3	(2)
C. Files Provided on the Forms CD-ROM	5
B. Worksheets
Worksheet 1: Financial Inventory	3	(6)
Worksheet 2: Credit History and Spending Habits	9	(2)
Worksheet 3: Financial Outlook	11	(2)
Worksheet 4: Prenup Goals	13	(2)
Worksheet 5: The Basics of Our Prenup	15	(4)
Worksheet 6: Comparison of Prenup to Law	19
C. Clauses for Building Your Prenup
A. Your Prenup's Title (Mandatory for All Agreements)	2	(1)
B. The Ten Basic Paragraphs (Mandatory for All Agreements)	2	(27)
C. Optional Paragraphs (Insert After Paragraph 8, Above)	29	(10)
D. Financial Disclosures (Mandatory for All Agreements)	39	(2)
E. Abstract of Prenup	41
Index