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PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENTS
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What You Can (and Can't) Do With a Prenuptial Agreement

If you're trying to decide whether or not to make a prenuptial agreement, you'll need to understand what this type of contract can -- and cannot -- do for you. For instance, a prenup can define who gets what in case of divorce, but it cannot speak to future child custody rights. It's important that your agreement contain only what it should; unconscionable or illegal clauses could cause a judge to take your entire prenup less seriously.

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community property

A method for defining the ownership of property acquired during marriage, in which all earnings during marriage and all property acquired with those earnings are considered community property and all debts incurred during marriage are community property debts. Community property laws exist in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. Compare equitable distribution and separate property.

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Can we use a prenup to keep child support payments reasonable?

Our wedding is next month. My children are grown, and my future husband's children are young (11 years of child support to go). His ex-wife is not above going after our combined incomes or properties. We have been advised to make a prenuptial agreement to protect ourselves from the ex and to prevent the children from starting a war later. What do you advise?

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Prenuptial Agreements: How to Write a Fair & Lasting Contract
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Prenups for Partners: Essential Agreements for California Domestic Partners
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