Legal Matters You Should Take Care of Before Your Marriage

Congratulations! You are engaged and preparing to start a lifetime together with the love of your life. While this is an exciting time, it is also one that requires you to stay organized and prepared for your future. Part of preparing for your future involves getting all your legal affairs in order to protect both yourself and your future spouse. With the help of our family law practice in Altamonte Springs, you can deal with all legal matters to prepare for marriage. These are a few things you should do before you get married.

Prenuptial Agreements

When you are considering prenuptial agreements in Orlando, you want to consult an attorney to talk about protecting your assets. Prenups are not just for those in wealthy families. In fact, people choose to get prenups to make big decisions about their lives, assets, and property before they even get married. Although this is not a discussion about the end of your marriage, it is just the way to protect yourself and your spouse in the event that something does happen.

Custody of Children from Previous Marriages

If you are blending families in your new marriage, be sure to talk with the children about what to expect with your next marriage. Have discussions about the role that their new stepparent will have in their lives. By setting these expectations up front, the children will not feel anxious or uneasy about these new changes to their lives. In some cases, your future spouse may also be planning on becoming a guardian or adoptive parent to your children. Talk to your attorney about the proper paperwork required to get this process started.

Personal Inheritance

Generally, if something is given to you as a gift or inheritance, it will be viewed as separate property. However, if you choose to use this as a marital gift or enter it into your joint account with your spouse, it could be deemed as marital property. For example, if you choose to put that gift money towards property you buy with your spouse, then your spouse will be a part of that gift. If you intend to keep this money separately, you need to keep it in a different account or protect it with a prenup.

Wills

It is important to also get a will to address any of these concerns of what will occur when you pass away. If you die without a will, it depends on the state you live in. Some of your property will become property of the state but this will depend on various factors, such as if your parents are still alive or if you have children. It is important to protect yourself and your spouse by getting a will.

When you want to get all your legal affairs in order before you walk down the aisle, you should trust our experienced family law practice in Altamonte Springs to assist with any of your needs. Whether you want to draw up a prenup or protect your business assets, we are here to help.