One important tool that is often forgotten about when it comes to family law is the postnuptial agreement. This week, the Huffington Post featured an interesting article explaining how a postnuptial agreement can actually help many couples whose marriages are on the rocks.

Postnuptial agreements are like prenuptial agreements in that they are both contracts that spell out what would happen in the case of a divorce, only postnuptial agreements are entered into after the couple has been married and prenuptial agreements are entered into before the marriage.

The article gave the scenario of a couple who had been fighting over financial issues and was hastily considering a divorce. The wife, worried and anxious about where a divorce would leave her, went to a local family law attorney for advice.

The attorney told the woman that divorce was not the couple’s only option and that there were alternatives available like filing for legal separation or executing a postnuptial agreement. The woman talked to her husband and soon they agreed that a postnuptial agreement was right for them.

She said the agreement they reached gave them both peace of mind knowing exactly what would occur should they choose to split, and also helped them to address the disagreements regarding finances that they were having.

Many people overlook postnuptial agreements as an effective tool in a family law attorney’s toolbox. Not only do they allow the couple to plan for divorce before the emotions rise, they are also a way to potentially save a marriage by addressing and working through issues that the couple faces.

Postnuptial agreements can be used to resolve disputes involving everything from finances to the children. Talk to a family law attorney in your area if you think that a postnuptial agreement might benefit your marriage.

Source: The Huffington Post, “The Legal Alternative Every Couple Should Know About Before Going to Divorce Court,” Susan Pease Gadoua, Sept. 8, 2011.