Some reasons for a prenuptial agreement

Next week is Valentine's Day, and as our thoughts turn to romance, I am reminded that marriage is also a financial merger of 2 people. What better time to point out some of the reasons that we should all have a prenup.

• You have children from a prior marriage and you want to make sure that they inherit the assets that you accrued prior to your second marriage. If you died without a prenuptial agreement or divorced, your children might have to share part of this amount with your new spouse.

• You may have a share of a family business before your marriage and you want to keep it in that side of the family. If you died without a prenuptial agreement or divorced, your new spouse might share in the family business which would dramatically change the family interaction at the business.