Carolyn Goodman

Attorney At Law

What You Need to Know About DC Prenuptial Agreements

By Carolyn Goodman

Understanding what a DC Prenuptial Agreement includes can be helpful in deciding if having one is right for you and your partner.

When you are planning to be married you may feel uncomfortable bringing up the topic of a Prenuptial Agreement with your partner/ fiancé. However,  if you think about this topic as part of a positive conversation related to your “financial marriage” it can be a very good discussion the two of you can have in advance or your actual marriage. This can lead to less stress during your marriage.

You have the emotional part all set – after all, you have decided to get married!

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How Postnuptial Agreements Work in DC

By Carolyn Goodman

Understanding What a DC Postnuptial Agreement Means for You

There are many reasons why you might want to consider a DC Postnuptial Agreement. It is best to consult with a DC Family Law Attorney to assist you in determining whether it makes sense for you. A Postnuptial Agreement in DC is similar to a Prenuptial Agreement, except that it is signed after you are married and is effective immediately upon signing. It can be signed immediately after you marry or years later. It is an Agreement designed to resolve financial issues that may arise during your marriage.

What is Covered in a Postnuptial Agreement in DC?

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Wedding Boom Causes an Increase in DC Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements

By Carolyn Goodman

I was recently featured in the Washington Post regarding the wedding boom in Washington, DC, and the need for more prenuptial and postnuptial agreements.

…To keep up, wedding singers are booking three ceremonies a day. Venues are scheduling receptions every day of the week, including Mondays. And attorneys are working overtime to hammer out prenuptial agreements.

“I’m getting calls saying, ‘I’m getting married in 2 weeks, how soon can we get this done?’ ” said Carolyn Goodman, a lawyer in Washington, D.C., who is seeing brisk demand for pre- and postnuptial agreements. “After two years of uncertainty, people want to have some control over their lives.”

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DC Prenuptial Agreement Lawyer: Do I Need A Prenuptial Agreement?

By Carolyn Goodman

It is not unusual to feel some stress in bringing up the idea of a Prenuptial Agreement with your partner.

Photo of DC Prenuptial Agreement and DC Postnuptial Agreement

However, if you approach a Prenuptial Agreement as a way to discuss your future financial life with your soon-to-be spouse this can help you start your married life with some basic agreements about your finances.

The process of discussing the contents of a DC Prenuptial Agreement will help you to discuss issues you may not have thought about, which can lead to less friction over finances throughout your marriage.

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DC Prenuptial Agreement and DC Postnuptial Agreement

By Carolyn Goodman

How Prenuptial Agreements Work in DC

Whether you call it a Prenuptial Agreement, a Prenup, or a Premarital Agreement, it is a contract between you and your future spouse that determines your financial rights and obligations if your marriage ends as a result of divorce or death.

Talking about a DC Prenuptial Agreement helps you and your fiancé openly discuss how you and your fiancé will handle your finances during your marriage.

Photo of condominium building

When Should You Get A Prenuptial Agreement in DC?

It is best to discuss these issues as far in advance of your wedding as possible. You do not want to talk about who pays for what and who will have ownership of which bank account when it is time to discuss the menu for your wedding day.

If you decide that it is too close to your wedding date to start the conversation about a Prenuptial Agreement, you can wait and agree to work on a Postnuptial Agreement. It is a similar document that is signed after you are married.

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Prenuptial & Postnuptial Agreement Lawyer in DC

By Carolyn Goodman

Separating Property with a Washington, DC Prenuptial Agreement & Postnuptial Agreement Lawyer

Can we make an agreement that everything that we own separately will remain our separate property?

The answer is Yes. In DC postnuptial agreements and prenuptial agreements, many people base the division of property on how property is titled. Your prenup or postnuptial agreement lawyer in DC can walk you through the best property division option for you.

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DC Postnuptial Agreement or Prenuptial Agreements to Protect Inheritance

By Carolyn Goodman

How to Protect Inheritance from Divorce: Prenuptial or Postnuptial Agreements in DC

Many people call and tell me that they will be inheriting money or other property and want to protect it in the event they get divorced.

Usually inherited money or property is considered separate property and is not divided if you separate and/or divorce.

However, many times a person who inherits money or property puts that money into a new home or other property bought during the marriage.

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Questions And Answers

Your current situation has probably generated many questions. Here are some short answers to questions you may have about Divorce, Separation Agreements, Property Division, Child Custody and more.

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