In years past, married women often relied upon their husbands for financial support. Fewer women worked outside of the home and many had little to no knowledge regarding their husband's assets. Today, times have changed. More women than ever hold full time jobs outside of the home and a growing number earn more than their spouses.
Given the growth in personal wealth and assets of American women, it makes sense that women who plan to marry would want to take steps to protect their personal assets. The results from a recent survey show that a growing number of women are taking steps to initiate a prenuptial agreement prior to saying I do.
The survey, which was conducted by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, found that there has been a significant increase in the number of couples seeking prenuptial agreements since 2010. In fact, 63 percent of those family law attorneys surveyed reported seeing an increase in the number of couples seeking prenuptial agreements.
Even more notable is that 43 percent of respondents reported seeing an increase in the number of women initiating the prenuptial agreement. Attorneys who participated in the study noted that most individuals or couples seeking a prenup aim to protect personal property in addition to define terms related to potential alimony or spousal support payments.
Prenuptial agreements aren't just for wealthy individuals. Such agreements are readily used by individuals who may have a stake in a family business as well as those who own a home or have financial obligations related to past relationships or marriages.
Source: The Huffington Post, "Prenuptial Agreements Are on the Rise, And More Women Are Requesting Them," Oct. 22, 2013
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