Money and Marriage

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorCollege, Undergraduate February 2008

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If love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage, then what do money and marriage go together as? A horse and the automobile, a cat and dog, or maybe they can coexist peacefully. From the prenuptial agreement to finances and taxes during the marriage to divorce and splitting assets, money and marriage must coexist. Before the nuptials ?til death do you part, or divorce, couples have to deal with so much and at the top of that list is money. Why must they, how can they, and what should Christians know.

Among most engaged couples to be married, two words can end the romance in a heartbeat, prenuptial agreement. A prenuptial agreement, prenup for short, is a written contract between two people who are preparing to marry. It sets out the terms of possession of assets, treatment of future earnings, control of the property, and potential division of assets if the marriage is eventually dissolved.

If either of the parties have substantial assets, children from a previous marriage, potential inheritances, high incomes, or have been "taken" by a previous spouse, the agreement is rather common. Prenups can even include issues that don't deal with money. Past prenuptial agreements have included requiring that your spouse not gain weight, or quit smoking, and even certain chores have been included. A prenup can?t get to frivolous otherwise a judge may just throw it out but couples are willing to push the envelope. It is also suggested to review and make changes to prenups as the marriage progresses. Clauses such as, if the couple remains married for ten years the wife receives a bonus in the event of divorce.

Advocates of the prenuptial agreement have numerous arguments for the need of one. With about one in three of all...