Historically, prenuptial agreements have been a source of anxiety. Some people call off their engagements because they feel offended by requests for a prenuptial agreement. Many people who may benefit from signing a prenuptial agreement may procrastinate because they worry about the impact the conversation could have on their connection with their fiancés.
As divorce rates have remained high for decades and the children of divorced parents have started marrying as adults, social attitudes about prenuptial agreements have changed. People are generally now much more receptive to prenuptial agreements than they were a generation ago.
Young people embrace marital contracts
People used to say that those proposing prenuptial agreements didn’t trust their fiancés or didn’t expect the marriage to last. Many people were very secretive about their prenuptial agreements.
People are now much less cynical about prenuptial agreements and may view them as a practical form of protection. Even those with the best of intentions never know how their marital relationships might change over the years. As such, planning in advance for the possibility of divorce simply makes sense.
Young couples now often feature two wage earners, and each spouse may have assets they wish to protect. Additionally, working women are now more likely to want the protection of a prenuptial agreement if they agree to stay home to serve as a caregiver for the couple’s future children.
Changing attitudes about prenuptial agreements mean that suggesting a marital contract is less likely to cause conflict and hurt feelings now than it may have been a few years ago. Negotiating a balanced and mutually-protective prenuptial agreement can be beneficial for fiancés in many different circumstances. People who discuss their marital priorities and the possibility of divorce in advance can avoid messy divorces and may possibly even strengthen their marriages as a result of their efforts.