Yes, and more.
A Pre-Nup or Marriage Agreement ** is a practical way to show your spouse that you love them. It says you are concerned about their future, want to protect them and are committed to your relationship.
Your spouse may have assets earned through many years of hard work, or remaining after a previous divorce, or inherited from their parents with the expectation they will pass them onto their own children. Or the love of your life may have agreed to leave a good paying job to live with you in your community. To protect your spouse’s assets, estate or future, you can set out in an Agreement how you will own property during your relationship, if you separate or if one of you dies.
You can also include agreements on how you will share your incomes, own a house, or help your adult children or elderly parents.
While we’ve all heard a nasty story or two about someone being handed a Pre-Nup to sign hours before the wedding ceremony – this is not the norm.
Negotiating an Agreement does NOT need to be stressful or adversarial. If there are matters you think would be difficult to raise with your spouse, we can help you. After you’ve discussed them with your spouse, and reached some agreements, you’ll appreciate that they’ve been resolved.
The time and money spent on a Marriage Agreement is a good investment in your relationship and your future.
** “Pre-Nups” or “Pre-Nuptial Agreements” – are American words. The equivalent term under our BC Family Relations Act is a “Marriage Agreement”. For people living common law, we use the term “Cohabitation Agreement.”
Disclaimer: The above information is given as information only and is not given as legal advice. Do not rely on this information as advice for your specific circumstances. Talk to a lawyer who specializes in family law about the specific facts of your circumstances to get advice on how the law applies to you.