A prenuptial agreement, antenuptial agreement, or premarital agreement, commonly abbreviated to prenup or prenupt, is a contract concluded prior to marriage, civil union or any other agreement before the main agreement by the people intending to marry or or start a co-habitation with each other. In many civil law countries, the prenuptial agreements may protect the non-shared property and money of the spouses.
The content of a prenuptial agreement can vary widely, but commonly includes provisions for division of property and spousal support and maintenance in the event of divorce or the breakup of the marriage. They may also include terms for the forfeiture of assets (taking away the assets) as a result of divorce on the grounds of adultery (being unfaithful); further conditions of guardianship may be included, as well.
A so-called „sunset provision” may be inserted into a prenuptial agreement, specifying that after a certain amount of time, the agreement will expire.
The prenuptial agreement should not be confused with the historic marriage settlement which was concerned not primarily with the effects of divorce but with the establishment and maintaining of dynastic families.
KEY VOCABULARY
adultery
breakup of marriage
civil union
co-habitation
division
divorce
forfeiture of assets
guardianship
to marry
non-shared
prenuptial agreement, antenuptial agreement, or premarital agreement
prior to
spouse
spousal support and maintenance
sunset provision