At HPLP, our experienced prenuptial agreement solicitors in London provide expert advice and representation for those planning on marrying.
A prenuptial agreement will set out how finances will be dealt with between you and your future spouse, both during your marriage and if it should end.
Having a prenuptial agreement can provide you with some financial certainty and help you start the next phase of your life on an open and honest basis. Discussing finances at the outset can reduce the risk of disagreements and misunderstandings later on and protect your position, should this ever be necessary.
We know that you may find it difficult to discuss putting a prenuptial agreement in place and we always deal sensitively with matters, ensuring that financial issues and any necessary negotiations are handled carefully.
We offer bespoke advice, tailored to your unique situation, and we will ensure that any agreement you sign is in your best interests. We have extensive experience assisting couples at the start of their journey together, including those with complex or high-value assets and children from previous relationships.
Our prenuptial agreement solicitors in London deal with all aspects of the process, including:
- Advice on whether a prenuptial agreement is right for your situation
- Drafting and negotiating a prenuptial agreement
- Advice if you have been given a prenuptial agreement to sign
- Pre-civil partnership agreements
- Postnuptial agreements, for those who are already married
For more information about our services, see our family law solicitors in London page.
Speak to our prenuptial agreement solicitors in London today
Contact our expert prenuptial agreement lawyers in London now by calling 03300250176 or use the contact form on this page for a prompt response.
How our prenuptial agreement solicitors can help you
Advice on whether a prenuptial agreement is right for your situation
It is important to assess whether a prenuptial agreement will be right for your circumstances. Occasionally, it might be better not to have this type of agreement in place and our team can discuss the pros and cons with you in depth.
Drafting and negotiating a prenuptial agreement
If a prenuptial agreement will be advantageous to you, we can work with you to establish the right terms and conditions. We will need to fully disclose your financial situation to your partner and we can assist you in putting this information together.
We will draft a comprehensive agreement, including the right clauses for your situation, and where necessary negotiate the terms with your partner’s solicitor.
Advice if you have been given a prenuptial agreement to sign
If you have been given a prenuptial agreement to sign, we can give you independent legal advice and discuss whether it is in your best interests. We will assist with financial disclosure and negotiate on your behalf as needed.
Pre-civil partnership agreements
We offer a similar service to those who will be entering into a civil partnership, providing advice, drafting, and negotiating pre-civil partnership agreements.
Postnuptial agreements
In some circumstances, a couple may want a prenuptial agreement after marriage. This is referred to as a postnuptial agreement. It will contain similar clauses to a prenuptial agreement and again, you will need independent legal advice before you sign it.
We can draft or approve a postnuptial agreement on your behalf. Even if you already have a prenuptial agreement, it should be reviewed from time to time and in the light of any major life changes, such as the birth of children or inheriting money. Where necessary, your prenuptial agreement can be replaced with an updated postnuptial agreement.
Prenuptial agreement FAQs
What is a prenuptial agreement?
A prenuptial agreement is an agreement entered into by a couple before they marry, setting out how certain issues will be dealt with between them. This can be both during the marriage and in the event that they separate.
The key clauses that are commonly contained in a prenuptial agreement mainly relate to finances and include:
- Who owns assets, including property, savings, investments and business interests, as well as valuable or collectible items
- How outgoings will be dealt with during the marriage
- What will happen to shared assets such as property, should you separate
- Whether pensions will be shared on separation
- Who is responsible for debts, including both existing debt and debt taken on during the marriage
- What will happen to any inherited money or assets that may be received
- Financial provision for children from previous relationships
- Provision for a spouse who gives up their career to care for children
Why should I get a prenuptial agreement?
There are several potential advantages to having a prenuptial agreement, including:
- Some level of financial certainty for the future
- Being honest with each other at the outset and having difficult discussions early on
- Establishing how you want your finances to be dealt with during the marriage as well as in the event of a divorce
- Protecting your assets, which can be particularly important if you have an interest in a family business, children from a previous relationship or you are likely to inherit money from a relative
- Reducing the risk of conflict over financial matters during your marriage
- Should your marriage end, having a prenuptial agreement can make the divorce process faster, less expensive and less acrimonious
How to get a prenuptial agreement
The first step in getting a prenuptial agreement is to speak to experienced prenuptial agreement lawyers. If you ask us to help you, we will go through your financial situation and your financial expectations and discuss what is most important to you.
We will work with you to draft an agreement that gives you the security you need for the future and that safeguards the assets that you wish to prioritise. We can suggest issues that you might want to take into account, such as provision for children, agreements over potential debts and how complex assets such as pensions will be handled.
The process can help you and your partner organise your finances and establish how you want matters to be dealt with between you in the future.
We will liaise with your partner’s solicitor to obtain their agreement to the document, discussing amendments if required.
Is a prenuptial agreement legally binding?
We are often asked how to make a prenuptial agreement valid. In fact, a prenuptial agreement in UK law is not legally binding, but provided that certain criteria have been met, the courts will usually follow the terms of an agreement if they are asked to make a financial order on divorce.
The criteria are:
- The agreement must be correctly drafted and signed and witnessed as a deed, with both parties entering into it freely and without being unduly influenced into signing
- Both parties must have made full financial disclosure to each other before signing
- Both parties must have had independent financial advice before signing and understand the implications of the agreement
- The agreement must deal fairly with both parties and meet both of their needs
- The agreement should not prejudice the interests of any children
How much is a prenuptial agreement?
The cost of a prenup will depend on the complexity of a couple’s finances and the assets to be protected, as well as the time spent on issues such as disclosure of financial information and negotiations.
Having a prenuptial agreement in place can make a divorce considerably cheaper than it would otherwise be, so in some cases, having a prenup will mean a financial saving.
At HPLP, our prenuptial agreement service offers excellent value for money. If you would like to speak to one of our team members about the potential costs, call us today and we will be happy to help.
Speak to our prenuptial agreement solicitors in London today
Contact our expert prenuptial agreement lawyers in London now by calling 03300250176 or use the contact form for a prompt response.