Odd Requests in Prenuptial Agreements

If you plan on getting a prenuptial agreement, you should know that you have a lot of leeway regarding what you put in it. This document does not have to be all about money or other assets. In fact, many people let their spouse know what they will put up with in terms of behavior, looks, and regular habits. Couples who are going on their second marriage are often more particular about these details, since they know what they want in a spouse now. This often leads to them specifying that they will not put up with certain traits in their new spouse, since their ex may have had the same traits. Consider some of the odd, yet somewhat common requests couples might put in their prenuptial – or even postnuptial – agreement. No Drugs or Alcohol Many marriages fail due to one person’s dependence on drugs or alcohol. If you have seen the destruction caused by overindulgence in such substances, you may want to consider requesting that your spouse not drink or do drugs. You can also specify a certain limit, like he or she cannot drink more than two nights a week. Minimal Weight Gain If you have seen couples around you gain extreme amounts of weight after the wedding, you may want to request that your spouse not gain a certain amount of weight. Couples who put this clause in their prenup might have a maximum limit for weight, and if it is exceeded, the overweight person has to pay a fine to the other person. You can come up with your own numbers, but keep in mind that many people who make this demand also stick to it themselves, so consider holding yourself to a weight limit if you are that worried about this trait changing during marriage. Regular Habits If you got tired of watching an ex watch sports on TV all day, you can add a clause about this in you prenup. You can set a limit on the number of days or hours your spouse watches sports, or any television for that matter. You can do the same for any other habits that bother you. If you do not want your spouse out golfing for hours every day, going on regular shopping sprees, or staying out late at the bar, you can add some limits to your prenuptial agreement. You can also make some requests regarding things you do want your spouse to do, such as cook or clean a certain number of times per week. If these ideas sound appealing to you, let your lawyer know. As long as your requests are not cruel, and as long as the document is not completely one-sided, you will likely be able to get them approved. Just talk to your lawyer first to make sure you are on the right track with the requests you plan to include in your prenuptial agreement.