I came across an advice column of sorts online and the woman who wrote in for advice was seeking it because she was thinking of getting a prenup.
“DEAR BRUCE: I will be getting married in a few months. I have a home and two cars that hold no liens. My home is worth $75,000 and the cars are worth around $44,000 combined. My fiancé doesn’t have any assets except a car that’s worth $3,000.
Do I need to protect myself in some way? I guess what I am asking is, is there a minimum in assets required to get a prenuptial? — Maria
DEAR MARIA: There is no minimum amount of assets necessary to get a prenuptial agreement. But you’re doing well and your fiancé appears to be broke. The only way you can protect yourself is with a solid prenuptial that both of you enter into. Even with a prenuptial, he can still make a claim against you.
There is another question on my mind. Do you think a man who is totally broke is the best choice of a spouse at this point? It would seem to me that you might want to consider putting off the marriage for at least a couple of years until he demonstrates that he can be financially responsible. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but that’s the very best advice I can give you.”
After reading this some things came to mind:
- Yes, no minimum necessary. So many think that you need to be rich for a prenup. But that is not the case. As long as you have something you want to protect then a prenup may be for you. After all if you only have $75,000 and lose half you’ll be in trouble but if a rich person loses half of $75,000 they’ll probably be just fine.
- A prenup is a good way to try and protect yourself from a divorce. Don’t be afraid of getting one.
- If it were a woman who happened to be “broke” would the advice still have been the same?
- Should one put off marrying someone they want until they become more financially stable?
I’m curious as to what others think of the last question. Should you put off marriage until your future spouse is no longer “broke”?
