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Law Demystified Oct 22, 2026
State-by-State: How Prenuptial Agreements Vary Across America (2026 Guide)
Prenuptial agreement laws differ in every state. Here's a plain-language tour of UPAA adoption, property regimes, and the rules that actually shape your prenup in each state.
Planning Oct 10, 2026
The Online Prenup Buyer's Guide (2026)
An online prenup is a premarital agreement built through a guided digital process. Costs, state rules, what to include, and when attorney review matters.
Trends Oct 12, 2026
The Prenup Report (2026): Costs, Couples, and the Shift Toward Modern Agreements
A data-driven roundup of key prenup statistics: how common prenups are in 2026, what they cost, and how marriage and divorce trends are reshaping modern agreements.
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- 31 Education Prenuptial Agreements in Hawaii: Why a Court Can Divide Separate Property Too Hawaii adopted the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act in 1987, which asks only that a prenup be in writing and signed by both partners to take effect at marriage. (HRS Chapter 572D) Sarah Kauffman Oct 9, 2026
- 32 Education Prenuptial Agreements in Missouri: Acknowledged or Witnessed to Count Missouri law (RSMo § 451.220) requires a prenup that affects property to be in writing and acknowledged by each partner or proved by subscribing witnesses. Sarah Kauffman Oct 9, 2026
- 33 Education Prenuptial Agreements in Nevada: Changing Community Property's Equal Split Nevada adopted the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act at NRS Chapter 123A, and a court will refuse to enforce a prenup if any one of three things is proven. Sarah Kauffman Oct 9, 2026
- 34 Education What Does Dave Ramsey Say About Prenups? Dave Ramsey once opposed prenups but now recommends one when a large inheritance or significant wealth is involved, writing at Ramsey Solutions that a prenup can protect a couple from outside financial pressure. Adam Hollander Oct 7, 2026
- 35 Education What Are the Disadvantages of Community Property? In the nine community property states, most assets and debts acquired during marriage are owned 50/50 by default, which means one spouse can be on the hook for the other's debt. Sarah Kauffman Oct 7, 2026
- 36 Education Does Signing a Prenup Mean You're Married? No. Signing a prenup does not marry you; under the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act, a prenup becomes effective only when a couple actually marries. Sarah Kauffman Oct 7, 2026
- 37 Education Who Pays for a Prenup? No law dictates who pays for a prenup; couples decide together, and in practice each partner typically covers their own attorney's fees. Sarah Kauffman Oct 7, 2026
- 38 Education What Kind of Lawyer Does Prenups? A prenup is handled by a family law attorney, the same lawyers who work on divorce, marital property, and spousal support under each state's version of the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act. Sarah Kauffman Oct 7, 2026
- 39 Education Who Benefits From a Prenup? Both partners benefit from a prenup; about 1 in 5 married U.S. couples has one, according to a 2023 Harris Poll conducted for Axios. Adam Hollander Oct 7, 2026
- 40 Education What Happens to Property You Owned Before Marriage? Property you owned before marriage usually starts as separate property, but it can become marital property if you commingle it or retitle it during the marriage. Adam Hollander Oct 7, 2026
- 41 Education What Is a Marriage Contract? "Marriage contract" has two meanings: the legal contract you enter by marrying, and a written prenup or postnup that changes the state's default rules. Liz Federowicz, Esq. Oct 7, 2026
- 42 Education What Does a Prenup Look Like? A Section-by-Section Example A prenup is a written contract, signed by both partners before marriage, built from standard sections: recitals, financial disclosure schedules, separate and marital property, debts, spousal support, estate waivers, and signatures. Libby Leffler Oct 7, 2026
- 43 Education Is a House You Bought Before Marriage Protected? A house you bought before marriage is usually your separate property, but under IRS and state law, marital funds, retitling, or appreciation can give your spouse a claim. Adam Hollander Oct 7, 2026
- 44 Law Demystified What Makes a Prenup Invalid? The Grounds Courts Use Under the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act, adopted by 29 states plus the District of Columbia, a prenup is unenforceable only if the challenger proves it was signed involuntarily, or was unconscionable and made without fair financial disclosure. Liz Federowicz, Esq. Oct 7, 2026
- 45 Law Demystified Do Prenups Expire? Sunset Clauses and the 10-Year Myth, Explained A prenup does not expire on its own; under the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act, it stays in force for the whole marriage unless it contains a sunset clause or both partners revoke it in writing. Liz Federowicz, Esq. Oct 12, 2026
- 46 Education Pros and Cons of a Prenup: An Honest Look at the Downsides The main downsides of a prenup are its cost, a hard money conversation, and that a court can set it aside if it was signed involuntarily, without fair financial disclosure, or on unconscionable terms. Libby Leffler Oct 7, 2026
- 47 Education Prenuptial Agreements in Indiana: What a One-Pot State Means for You Indiana's premarital agreement statute (IC 31-11-3) asks only that a prenup be in writing and signed by both partners, with no notary or witnesses required. Sarah Kauffman Oct 2, 2026
- 48 Education Prenuptial Agreements in Maryland: The Cannon v. Cannon Overreaching Test Maryland never adopted the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act, so its courts judge a prenup by whether it was made without overreaching, under Cannon v. Cannon (2005). Liz Federowicz, Esq. Oct 2, 2026
- 49 Education Prenuptial Agreements in Georgia: Two Witnesses, One a Notary Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 19-3-62) requires an antenuptial agreement to be in writing, signed by both partners, and attested by two witnesses, one a notary. Liz Federowicz, Esq. Oct 12, 2026
- 50 Education Prenuptial Agreements in Ohio: The Gross v. Gross Test Ohio never adopted the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act, so the Supreme Court of Ohio's decision in Gross v. Gross sets the test for whether a prenup holds up. Sarah Kauffman Oct 12, 2026
- 51 Education Prenuptial Agreements in Virginia: Written, Signed and Effective the Day You Marry Virginia's Premarital Agreement Act, which covers prenups signed since July 1, 1986, requires only a written agreement signed by both partners, and it takes effect the day you marry. Liz Federowicz, Esq. Oct 12, 2026
- 52 Education Prenuptial Agreements in Colorado: The Four Grounds a Court Can Use to Refuse One Colorado's Uniform Premarital and Marital Agreements Act (C.R.S. § 14-2-309) lets a court refuse to enforce a prenup on any one of four independent grounds. Liz Federowicz, Esq. Oct 2, 2026
- 53 Prenup Basics Are Prenups Unromantic? What the Financial Disclosure Rule Requires Every enforceable prenup requires full financial disclosure under the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act, making honesty about money a legal condition, not an optional nicety. Sarah Kauffman Oct 2, 2026
- 54 Law Demystified Prenup Community Property Rules: What Happens to Inherited Money and Commingled Assets Nine U.S. states follow community property law, and in those states property acquired by gift or inheritance is normally the receiving spouse's separate property, per the IRS. Sarah Kauffman Oct 2, 2026
- 55 Law Demystified Can You Get a Prenup With Only One Lawyer? What Independent Counsel Requirements Mean Most states let a couple sign a prenup with one lawyer or none, but a single attorney cannot ethically represent both partners under ABA Model Rule 1.7. Sarah Kauffman Oct 2, 2026
- 56 Trends Do Prenups Lower Marital Satisfaction? What the 2026 Study Found The 2026 Family Relations study of 2,000 married Americans was observational, so it cannot show that prenups cause lower satisfaction, and its author found no link among couples who communicate well. Sarah Kauffman Oct 2, 2026
- 57 Planning How Much Does a Prenup Cost in New York? A Method-by-Method Breakdown Traditional two-attorney prenups in New York commonly run $5,000 to $10,000 or more per couple, and in high-cost metros where family-law rates reach $1,000 an hour, they run past that. Libby Leffler Oct 12, 2026
- 58 Planning What a parental leave policy doesn't decide for you Twelve weeks is an answer to a question about time. It is not an answer to who goes back first, what the at-home partner's day looks like, or what happens when the weeks run out. Sarah Kauffman Sep 29, 2026
- 59 Planning What "we'll figure it out" costs parents Almost two-thirds of couples report a decline in relationship satisfaction in the three years after having a baby, according to the Gottman Institute. Sarah Kauffman Sep 28, 2026
- 60 Education Women and Prenups: Why More Women Now See Financial Protection as Empowerment A 2025 YouGov survey found women are now more likely than men to call a prenup a "good idea," citing asset and children's financial security. Sarah Kauffman Sep 25, 2026