Prenuptial agreements are not romantic. In fact, some people still view them negatively. Nevertheless, planning a wedding means that you and your future spouse need to make a lot of practical considerations. According to USA Today, if you and your future spouse are marrying late in life, own a business or have significant student loan debt, there is a good chance that a prenuptial agreement could benefit you both.
Still, because of the stigma around it, a prenuptial agreement is a delicate topic that you need to bring up carefully, especially if your future spouse may be resistant to the idea. Here are some approaches to try.
Liken the agreement to insurance
Part of the reason that people are wary about prenuptial agreements is that they view it as a marriage exit plan. To these people, it seems as though their partners already have doubts about the viability of the relationship. When you bring it up to your future spouse, present it instead as a form of insurance.
For example, you could point out that when you and your future spouse buy a house together, you hope and believe that it will remain standing for the rest of your lives. However, you never know when a fire or tornado could reduce your home to rubble. Therefore, you purchase insurance so that you have protection in case the unexpected occurs. Tell your spouse that you intend your marriage to last a lifetime, but should something unexpected occur to threaten it, a prenuptial agreement is like an insurance policy that protects you both.
Emphasize open communication
According to Study Finds, communicating with your spouse openly, especially about financial matters, helps to make marriages stronger. You could point out to your future spouse that a prenuptial agreement requires you to communicate openly about your finances before the marriage even takes place, which could place the relationship on a stronger footing for the future.
Look for concrete ways to demonstrate to your future spouse that he or she stands to benefit from a prenuptial agreement. That way, it is less likely to appear that you are only looking out for your own interests at your future spouse’s expense.
