Practice Areas

Prenuptial Agreements

Prenuptial Agreements Attorney
Charleston, West Virginia

Statistically, a little more than half of all marriages in the United States will end in divorce. In West Virginia, the end of a marriage means that you will have to divide property through equitable distribution, which may mean giving an equitable portion of your property to your former spouse. If you need to take control of how property will be distributed upon the end of a marriage, a prenuptial agreement (or “pre nup”) may be the right choice for you.

Putting aside their unromantic image, prenuptial agreements are useful in a number of situations. Many people who marry later in life have heirs from previous relationships who would, except for this marriage, be the primary beneficiaries to property. Many have accumulated substantial assets and simply wish to designate them. Others have received family property such as lake estates or other real estate that they wish to have remain in the family should the new relationship end.

If you believe you are in a position where a pre nup would be helpful, family lawyer Julia Shalhoup is experienced in this area.

At the law office of Julia Shalhoup, we provide the legal experience you need to protect the assets you have spent a lifetime accumulating. Prenuptial agreements have the advantages of:

• Saving time and emotional distress at divorce
• Minimizing the complexity of a divorce
• Protecting family assets that are intended for existing children and grandchildren

In short, a prenuptial agreement can help you avoid bitter disagreements over property and protect family assets that you want kept in your family.

Creating Legally Binding Prenuptial Agreements
If think that a prenuptial agreement may be the right choice for you, it is important to start by hiring a lawyer who has experience in the area of drafting prenuptial agreements. Secondly, you need to have a prenuptial agreement drafted at least several weeks or months in advance of a wedding. This is to allow you and your future spouse to have time to consult appropriate legal counsel and make decisions about the terms of the agreement without the pressure of the upcoming expensive, exciting wedding interfering with your judgment. Also, the likelihood that a prenuptial agreement will be upheld by a court decreases if it is entered into just before the wedding.

If you like to know more about prenuptial agreements, contact an experienced family law attorney at the law office of Julia Shalhoup in Charleston, West Virginia by calling (304) 345-4455. or fill out our online contact form.

To find out more about family law issues in general, please see our Family Law Information Center or our Frequently Asked Questions About Family Law.