Stop Believing Prenups Are Only for Millionaires

The biggest lie about prenups? That they're only for celebrities and trust fund babies.

I've guided hundreds of couples through family mediation, and the most financially devastated clients often had one thing in common. No prenuptial agreement.

Here's what's actually happening. Millennials are getting prenups at rates their grandparents never imagined. Forty-seven percent of married millennials now have prenuptial agreements, compared to barely 3% of older generations.

They're not doing it because they're wealthy.

They're doing it because they're smart.

The Real Numbers Behind Prenup Protection

Consider the math. The average prenup costs around $8,000 to draft properly. The average divorce costs between $25,000 and $50,000.

But those divorce figures don't include the hidden costs. Lost time from work. Emotional stress affecting your health and productivity. Years of uncertainty while assets remain frozen.

A prenup eliminates most of that friction.

Modern couples entering marriage often carry student loans, own property, or have retirement accounts from previous jobs. These aren't millionaire problems. They're middle-class realities that need protection.

Who's Really Driving the Prenup Revolution

Here's another surprise. Women now initiate 52% of prenup conversations.

This challenges every stereotype about prenups being tools for wealthy men to protect their assets. Women recognize that financial security requires proactive planning, not hopeful thinking.

As a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, I frequently see the aftermath when couples skip this conversation. One partner assumes they'll share everything equally. The other assumes their pre-marital assets stay separate.

Both assumptions can be wrong under state law.

The Practical Reality of Asset Protection

Prenups aren't pessimistic planning for divorce. They're clear communication about financial expectations during marriage.

When couples discuss how they'll handle money before they're legally bound, they often discover important differences in financial values. Some resolve these differences. Others realize they're not compatible long-term.

Both outcomes protect everyone involved.

The prenup process forces conversations about debt responsibility, inheritance plans, and career sacrifices that many couples avoid. These discussions strengthen relationships that can handle honest communication and reveal weaknesses in relationships that can't.

Beyond the Wealthy Stereotype

Every couple has something worth protecting. Your time, your earning potential, your family relationships, your peace of mind.

A well-crafted prenup addresses more than asset division. It can outline spousal support expectations, protect family business interests, and establish clear boundaries around debt responsibility.

These protections matter whether your net worth is $50,000 or $5 million.

The couples who benefit most from prenups often aren't the wealthiest. They're the ones who understand that clarity prevents conflict, and conflict destroys families.

If you're engaged and wondering whether a prenup makes sense for your situation, the answer frequently has nothing to do with your bank account. It has everything to do with your commitment to protecting your future family's wellbeing.

Smart couples plan for success. Smarter couples plan for protection.