Union County Marital Agreements Lawyer
While few people wish to enter a marriage thinking about their exit strategy, circumstances often change and may lead a couple to re-evaluate their current situation. In certain cases, this may lead to a separation or a permanent end to the marriage. When this occurs, the couple could be left to battle out a division of assets before a judge, who would ultimately decide how marital assets should be divided among the couple.
Many couples prefer to avoid judicial intervention when possible and take the lead on these kinds of decisions themselves. With the assistance of a Union County marital agreement lawyer, you could make your own decisions regarding your hard-earned assets. A skilled family attorney may be able to help you draft a fair and enforceable marital agreement that would leave little room for dispute if it ever needs to come into play.
Agreements Before and During Marriage
In a nutshell, a marital agreement helps decide how the property would be divided if a marriage ends in divorce. It could also determine which spouse, if either, would be responsible for paying spousal support, how much will be paid out, and the frequency at which payments will be made.
A marital agreement can also be used to protect inheritance, allocate financial responsibility within the marriage, and provide for children from previous relationships. However, courts typically frown upon deciding child support and child custody matters in these agreements.
Marital agreements can be drafted before vows are exchanged or at any point afterward while a couple is legally married. An agreement must not be made under duress, coercion, or manipulation in order to be considered valid and legally enforceable.
In the same vein, the court could render an entire agreement unenforceable if it finds that there was a misrepresentation of any sort. Consequently, it may be necessary to ensure that a marital agreement attorney in Union County is involved in drafting a couple’s marital agreement.
Challenging a Marital Agreement
As mentioned above, the possibility of misrepresentation or coercion could leave a marital agreement open to challenges from either party. A marital agreement could be challenged if it was entered into under false pretenses, one of the parties was not given the opportunity to review and understand the terms of the agreement, or if the agreement is unconscionable.
Alternatively, changing circumstances during a marriage may necessitate adjustments to a previously established agreement. With separate counsel from Union County marital agreement lawyers, both parties could ensure their interests are represented and protected during such negotiations.
Contact a Union County Marital Agreements Attorney
Couples should be both proactive and protective when it comes to securing their financial future. While no one goes into a marriage planning for separation or divorce, individuals may never be able to predict when circumstances will take a turn.
As an alternative to finding yourself in a potentially lengthy and stressful court battle during a divorce, agreeing upon certain aspects of this process in advance could help you secure your assets and minimize tension. An experienced Union County marital agreement attorney could help you find the peace of mind you seek, so call today to start exploring your legal options.
