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Prenups are nothing to be frightened by

Prenup. It is a single word that can instantly put any romantic relationship on thin ice.

Prenuptial agreements, written contracts between two people before marriage specifying how assets will be distributed in the case of a divorce or death, are a touchy subject, but it’s something couples should not shy away from thinking about.

In the past, prenuptial agreements were thought of as contracts benefiting someone who was rich and did not want to risk losing all of the possessions they obtained in a messy divorce, but nowadays prenups can serve a more broad purpose and can be useful for more middle-class Americans.

The reasons people should consider signing a prenuptial agreement are many, including holding on to family inheritances, ownership of a house or business and the classic scenario of warding off a gold-digger, a term which can now be applied to males as well as females.

According to cnnmoney.com, 43 percent of people who do not want a prenup say it is because they never plan to get a divorce.

Although most unmarried people would like to think that when they do finally find and marry their true love, it will last forever. The truth is that the number of marriages without a dissenting spouse does not surpass 60 percent, according to divorcerate.org.

No one should plan to get a divorce, but there is nothing spooky about planning for the unexpected.

It is estimated that only 10 percent of couples entering into a marriage for the first time actually sign a prenuptial agreement, but considering the divorce rates in America, it would be in the interests of anyone considering marriage in the future to at least think about a prenup.

Getting a prenup does not always mean that a divorce is anticipated. Nevertheless, it is something that most people think about when the word is mentioned. Getting one creates a win-win situation, because if your marriage never fails, the prenup never goes into effect, and if you just happen to end the marriage, what you bring to the marriage belongs to you, and not your former spouse.

People that are confident that their marriage will beat the odds are already on the right track, but signing a prenuptial agreement does not make a divorce any more of a threat.

There is no evidence that prenuptial agreements make divorces any more likely than marriages without them. People need to be more realistic about their future, and getting a prenup does just that, by protecting all the things that are important to them.

Hawkins, a communication junior, can be reached via [email protected]

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