Timing Is Everything

Earlier than you might think! Like – if you’re asking this question, then now. Look – way too often people try to stall until the last minute so that the marriage is already locked in, and then it seems like something you were hiding your interest in. If your partner has any hesitation when he or she hears the word “prenup” then the earlier you bring it up, the more time you have to address any concerns or get on the same page about what a prenup is, what you want the prenup to do. Waiting until the last minute means you’re risking your partner feeling pressured, and that can leave a bad taste in their mouth, or worse – you might be starting off your marriage with resentment.

Approach It the Right Way

Part of the problem might also be that you’re approaching the conversation wrong. Instead of just dropping it on them like “I think we should get a prenup,” start with what you want to accomplish. I want to make sure that both of us are taken care of no matter what. Or – I watched my parents go through a long and expensive divorce, and I want that to never happen to us. Or I just want to make sure that we’re on the same page about what we consider mine, yours, and ours.

Prenups as Part of Healthy Communication

The conversation about having a prenup is a bigger conversation about having healthy communication about your financial lives, and that’s something that should start while you’re dating.