Tag Archive for: marriage

Helping Your Relationship Survive Pre-Wedding Madness

weddingIs your wedding putting you at risk for…divorce? As research shows, the decisions you make leading up to your wedding day can have a bigger impact on your marriage than you might think. For example, couples who indulge on pricey nuptials are more likely to see their marriage end in divorce: specifically, couples that spend $20,000 or more on their wedding are 3.5 times more likely to split up than those who spend less than half that amount.

Could a lower budget wedding be the key to marital bliss? And what other pre-wedding pitfalls should you watch out for? If you’re planning a wedding, read on to learn what you can do to make your Big Day what it’s supposed to be: the active commitment to a meaningful life partnership. Read more

Repairing Your Marriage After Infidelity

reconcling after an affairAccording to a 2016 study, infidelity occurs in 41 percent of marriages, and of that amount, 31% actually survive the affair. So what can you do to increase the odds that your post-affair marriage is one of the ones that recover? Read more

How To Stay Married: 8 Dos and Don’ts

saving your marriage

We understand that big marital problems like infidelity and substance abuse can spell divorce, but it’s often the little things that can make or break a marriage. Trying to repair your relationship? If both spouses want to give their union another chance, here are a list of do’s and don’ts we’ve seen time and again help couples stay together. Read more

Should I Stay Or Should I Go? Top Things People Consider When Leaving A Marriage

deciding to divorceDisagreement is inevitable in a marriage, and a certain amount is healthy. But some differences truly are irreconcilable and no amount of negotiation or couples therapy will save a marriage between two fundamentally incompatible people. Wondering if you should stay or go? Here are some key issues that may help you answer this all important question. Read more

Will You Marry Me…And Can We Have A Prenup, Please?

How to ask for a prenuptial agreementWith almost 50% of marriages ending in divorce, and many of those divorces leading to protracted battles over assets, having a prenup can prevent arguments should the marriage end. But how do you tell your fiancée you want one without sounding dubious about your wedding vows? Or that you love your money more than you love him? Here’s how to bring up the subject without killing the romance. Read more

Marriage the Second Time Around: 7 Ways Prenuptial Agreements Protect Older Couples

couple of old people smilingWith summer wedding season here, a growing number of couples are adding to their pre-marriage to-do lists a visit to their attorneys to have a prenuptial agreement put in place. A “prenup” is a legally binding document that lays out certain parameters and terms regarding a couple’s assets and finances should their marriage end in divorce. Considered a “life insurance” of sorts for marriage, prenuptial agreements are now viewed as a sensible choice for soon-to-be married couples, especially given the changing demographics of marriage in New Jersey and across the U.S.

In the past, it was common for couples to wed in their early 20s, an age when neither party tended to enter marriage with substantial assets. In today’s word, many couples are in their 30s or 40s or beyond when they finally walk down the aisle for the first time — and growing numbers of older couples are entering into their second marriage or more. In these  marriages, one or both spouses may already have a number of significant assets to their name, including a home, business interests, retirement plans, and their own stock portfolio. They may also have children from previous marriage or relationships.

Are you entering into a second marriage and wondering what a prenup can do for you? Consider these seven ways premarital agreements can offer special protections for older brides and grooms. Read more

What Is a Covenant Marriage?

Wedding rings

Making headlines in wedding news this week are the nuptials of Jill Duggar, the second eldest daughter of TV’s famous 19 Kids and Counting Duggar clan, and her new husband, Derick Dillard. Their wedding — which recently aired on TLC — is all the buzz not just because of the Duggar’s reality TV celebrity, but because the two decided to enter into a different kind of marital agreement called a “covenant marriage.” Read more

Study: Pricier Engagement Rings Predict Divorce Risk

rings

The bigger the diamond, the shorter the marriage? According to a study conducted by researchers from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, the giving of a pricier engagement ring before marriage could be an indicator of increased divorce risk down the road. Read more

Survey: Post-Recession Couples More Likely To Be Honest About Money, Finances

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If there is a silver lining to the Great Recession of 2008, it may be that couples today are more open and aware when it comes to discussing money and financial matters, even before they are married, says a new survey from Experian, one of the country’s leading credit reporting agencies. Read more

8 Common Items Found In Prenuptial Agreements

iStock_000017213521SmallWelcome to our new monthly blog series! Just in time for wedding season, throughout the month we’re taking a look at some of the legal issues engaged and recently married couples commonly encounter. Please check back each week for special themed blogs featuring our latest tips and advice for boosting your marital savvy! 

When prenuptial agreements make the news, it’s usually because of some celebrity or high profile split in which millions or even billions are at stake in a divorce, or because of the agreement’s outlandish terms, such as the “prenup” that made headlines recently for including rules about how much weight a wife could gain during marriage.

However, despite these super-sized agreements and/or strange conditions, in reality, the majority of couples who pursue a New Jersey prenuptial agreement before marriage put in place practical items that address their current financial status, how they would like their future finances to be handled after they are married, and issues related to other assets and debts each will bring into the marriage.

What does this look like on a piece of paper? Here are five common items that couples request in their New Jersey prenuptial agreements: Read more