Thinking of Remarrying? Consider a Pre-nuptial Agreement

HOOMA SHAH ESQ. is the Founding and Principal Attorney at THE SHAH LAW FIRM, LLC in Clayton. She is an experienced Family Law Attorney and serves clients in both Missouri and Illinois. Before opening her own practice, she clerked for two Family Law Judges in Pennsylvania, which exposed her to a broad range of family law issues and taught her how to analyze a case from a judge’s perspective, which is highly beneficial in procuring a successful outcome on behalf of her clients.

Thinking of Remarrying? Consider a Pre-nuptial Agreement.

BY HOOMA SHAH, ESQ.

any people

Mmistakenly assume that pre-nuptial agreements are only necessary for the rich and famous. In truth, having a pre-nuptial agreement in place prior to a marriage is immensely beneficial to a much greater demographic. People who have been previously married, have children from a previous marriage/relationship or have accumulated substantial assets should seriously consider entering into a pre-nuptial agreement if they are considering marriage. Additionally, in the event of a divorce, a pre-nuptial agreement can significantly reduce the time and expense associated with a divorce proceeding.

WHAT IS A PRE-NUPTIAL AGREEMENT?

A pre-nuptial agreement is simply a pre-marital contract entered into prior to a marriage that contains provisions as to what will happen to each party’s assets and/or debts in event of death, separation or divorce.

WHEN SHOULD YOU CONSIDER A PRE-NUPTIAL AGREEMENT?

You have been divorced before. Enough said. You have separate property: In the event of a divorce, property that was acquired prior to the marriage would normally be subject to community property or equitable distribution laws. A pre-nuptial agreement would prevent this. Assets that can be designated as separate property pursuant to a pre-nuptial agreement can include real estate, trust funds, business interests, investments and/or retirement/pension accounts. Debt Protection: A pre-nuptial agreement can prevent a person from getting saddled with the other party’s debts, especially if the debt that was accrued solely by one party prior to the marriage. You Have Children: A pre-nuptial agreement can help you protect or preserve property for your children from a previous marriage/relationship. Without one, a surviving spouse might have the right to claim a large portion of the other spouse’s property, leaving much less for the kids. You Want to Make Provisions Regarding Maintenance (Alimony): This is especially important if one party earns significantly more than another party. For instance, prior to her marriage to Kevin Federline, Britney Spears had him sign a pre-nuptial agreement. When they divorced a few years later, Kevin received only a small percentage of her reported $100 million dollar fortune. Smart move. On the other hand, people like Jeff Bezos, Paul McCartney and Madonna did not have a pre-nuptial agreement in place when they married and literally speaking, they paid a price for this oversight.

IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING A PRE-NUPTIAL AGREEMENT:

Do not give it to the other party to sign the day before or the day of the wedding. Give the other party the opportunity to review the pre-nuptial agreement with an attorney of their choosing.

Hooma also has a long-standing commitment to domestic violence advocacy. Currently, she is assisting domestic violence victims as a volunteer attorney at The Crime Victims Center in St. Louis. She also recently obtained certification as a Guardian Ad Litem and is qualified to represent a child’s interests in family law disputes. Hooma has Bar Admissions in Missouri and Illinois.

Take a fresh road trip.

County Living columnist JOHN DRAKE ROBINSON

won an

EMMY

for his unique travelogs based on his books.

John’s Newest Book, Souls Along The Road, Is Hot Off The Press

The stories along these roads FOR YOUR INFORMATION reflect life’s uneven rhythms. Fun. Fear. Breakdowns and revelations. The beauty of violent storms. The scents of September sycamores and campfires, forest fires and kitchen fires. His stories serve up tastes and touches and sounds you can’t coax from a tweet. You probably shouldn’t read this during church. Available at fine bookstores everywhere. Or email John at cjrobin@socket.net

58Read more stories at johndrakerobinson.com/blog

Photos by Cheryl Robinson

This Book Should Be in Every Home in St. Louis

any of us who have lived in the St.

MLouis area our whole lives don’t know much about our own history. We learn in school about world history, US history and facts about Missouri government, but very little is taught about the history of our own county. And newcomers to St. Louis generally know even less about the area. To help all of us feel more connected to our own community, County Living Publications has re-published The History of St. Louis County, Missouri by William Lyman Thomas, a 100-year old book that documents our history from the earliest settlers through the Civil War and into the first decade of the 20th century. It documents what life was like 100 years ago here - the towns, neighborhoods, schools, churches, social societies, government, businesses, transportation and amusements of the period, and thousands of the people who were active in these endeavors. This is a quality softbound book of over 500 pages, with more than 100 historic photographs. Now available at: Amazon.com Campbell House in Downtown St. Louis The Louisiana Purchase Gift Shop at Missouri History Museum Left Bank Books Main Street Books in St. Charles Museum of Transportation Gift Shops in Kirkwood St. Louis Genealogical Society in Maplewood World News in Clayton For more information, you can visit StLCountyHistory.com

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