Massachusetts Family Law Attorney

Agreements: Cohabitation, Prenuptial & Postnuptial

These days serious relationships are more complicated than ever before. Whether you choose to get married or not, a relationship with your loved one is as much a financial investment as it is an emotional one. For this reason, there are several agreements that have been designed to protect the individuals in a relationship in the event they break up, or dissolve their marriage. These agreements come in the forms of cohabitation agreements, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. A highly experienced Massachusetts family law attorney from the Rauseo Law Firm can help you draw up a powerful and effective agreement between you and your partner.

How an Agreement Can Benefit You

Although cohabitation, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements go by a different name, there functions are very similar. Each type of agreement serves to protect the individuals in the event they decide to end their relationship. With nearly half of all marriages ending in divorce, and even greater odds for subsequent marriages, many people decide not to get married, where others want to protect themselves from the unknown in case they eventually do get a divorce. Agreements may not be the most romantic instruments; however, they provide immeasurable benefits to both parties especially when they have a significant amount of assets, property, or children involved.

A cohabitation agreement is to the unwed couple, or domestic partnership, what the prenuptial agreement or postnuptial agreement is to the married couple. A cohabitation agreement can clear up vague areas such as your rights and responsibilities regarding property, debts, assets and debts, health insurance and parenting roles (if there are any children). If you live together but are unwed, a cohabitation agreement can protect you and your partner in case you break up down the road.

On the other hand, a premarital agreement is an especially effective tool if you and your future spouse independently own property outside the marriage, if you own a business, if you have a significant amount of property and/or assets, or if you have children from a previous relationship.

For couples already married, they may decide months or years into marriage that they need to draw up a postnuptial agreement. A postnuptial agreement performs the same functions as a premarital agreement; however, it is created after the marriage has already taken place.

Massachusetts Divorce & Family Law Attorney

Cohabitation, premarital and postnuptial agreements are powerful and effective legal instruments that are sometimes a necessity. They take the guesswork out of the process of ending your relationship and they can help you to avoid costly and emotionally draining litigation in the future.

At our firm, attorney Rauseo has nearly 30 years experience in negotiating, drawing up and executing cohabitation, premarital and postnuptial agreements. If you are contemplating having such an agreement created, we urge you to contact us to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation where we can discuss the merits of an agreement how you may benefit from having one.

To learn more about your rights and responsibilities in an agreement, contact a Massachusetts family law attorney from the firm today. We serve clients throughout Massachusetts including the residents of Lexington, Beverly, Lowell, Marblehead, Newburyport, Cambridge, Andover, Saugus, Wakefield, Winchester, Reading, North Reading and Middleton.