Many New Jersey residents feel a great sense of joy when they find someone they believe they could spend the rest of their life with. Often, these feelings are new and exciting, and the idea that the relationship could sour in the years to come seems like a far-fetched notion. Unfortunately, many marriages do end in divorce, whether due to conflict or growing apart, and too many individuals do not prepare for that possibility.
If you have a considerable number of assets or a substantial amount of wealth, it may be in your interest to prepare for the possibility of your marriage coming to an end in the future. While this does not mean that you will doom your marriage, it could mean that you face fewer difficulties if you and your spouse later decide that going your separate ways is for the best.
Think about income and debt
Often, many people think about what they would want out of their divorce, particularly when it comes to the assets they could get. However, it is important that you do not forget that your marital debt is also up for division during a divorce. As a result, if you find yourself believing that the end of your relationship is near, it may be wise to assess your marital debt, close joint credit accounts and determine whether refinancing any joint loans as individual loans may be wise.
From the start of your marriage, you may want to consider whether separating income streams could work for your household. In some cases, both individuals earn their own substantial income and would rather not commingle those funds. In other instances, one person may come into a considerable inheritance and want to keep it separate from the household funds.
Think about agreements ahead of time
Making decisions in the heat of the moment is rarely good for anyone. As a result, you and your spouse, or soon-to-be spouse, may want to consider making divorce-related agreements while you remain on good terms. This could mean creating a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement that addresses important issues like property division and spousal support. As long as the terms are fair and enforceable, you may save yourself a lot of stress and contention later on should a divorce take place.
While you may hope that you and your spouse will spend decades of happiness together, it may be a beneficial gesture for you both to consider the possibilities of a less-than-happy future and how you can protect each other from the start.
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