Stolar Law Group, APLC, boasts a wealth of expertise when it comes to premarital contracts. The principal lawyer at Stolar Law Group, APLC, has successfully guided an array of diverse clientele hailing from various walks of life. This includes numerous affluent individuals, including celebrities, top executives of major corporations, and certified experts. With an extensive history of practice and a diverse client portfolio, Stolar Law Group, APLC, has encountered a wide spectrum of scenarios. Rest assured that whatever hurdles may surface, you can trust us to craft a resolution.
When choosing a prenuptial agreement lawyer it is easy to pick the wrong attorney, and sadly you might not know until it is too late. To give yourself a piece of mind, call Stolar Law Group, APLC to set up an initial consultation. Our firm understands the ins and outs of how to draft a solid prenuptial agreement. You want to be confident that your agreement is valid and protects the assets you want, call us today. Our lead attorney handles each and every premarital contract. Mr. Stolar helps you and your partner create a prenuptial agreement that fits your exact needs. We know how valuable your assets are, let us protect them together.
A prenuptial agreement lawyer can help California couples achieve peace of mind as they approach marriage. Also known simply as a “prenup,” a prenuptial agreement has proven popular among a wide range of spouses. While it’s true that these agreements are primarily financial in nature, they might be more complex than most couples realize. A greater understanding of prenuptial agreements helps both spouses approach this contract with a degree of confidence and efficiency. Stolar Law Group, APLC brings over 40 years of experience to the table – having helped thousands of spouses in California throughout the decades. With more knowledge about how prenups work in California, couples can also dispel misconceptions and negative stigma that may surround this subject. So what exactly are prenuptial agreements, and why might you need one in California?
WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN A PREMARITAL AGREEMENT LAWYER?
There are a number of features you should look for when seeking out a premarital agreement lawyer:
- Experience: One of the most important characteristics to seek out as you search for a nuptial agreement is experience. Stolar Law Group, APLC brings over 40 years of experience to the table – having helped thousands of spouses in California throughout the decades. An experienced nuptial agreement lawyer knows exactly what to expect – including common legal challenges to prenuptials.
- Diverse Clients: You might also want to seek out a pre-marriage agreement attorney with a diverse clientele. Stolar Law Group, APLC has assisted doctors, lawyers, celebrities, CEOs, and many others with their prenuptials. A lawyer with diverse clients has experience with corporations, privacy, investments, and various other challenges associated with specific industries or careers. Of course, Stolar Law Group, APLC also has experience assisting couples with little to no assets.
- A Real Person: It is generally a bad idea to rely on digital apps and online forms to create your prenuptial agreements. These templates fail to capture the complexities of each individual marriage, and they might even prove unenforceable in court. Instead, book a consultation with a real lawyer and discuss your specific circumstances. This level of targeted, personalized guidance cannot be achieved online. Our attorney will meet with you personally and ensure everything you want protected is added in to your prenup.
- Hands-On: Try to seek out a lawyer who likes to take a hands-on approach. Stolar Law Group, APLC is headed by an attorney who does 100% of the prenuptial drafting himself – without delegating this important task to anyone else. This is somewhat rare in the legal world. Choose an attorney who you feel like you can talk to – someone who seems natural and approachable. Communication skills are everything when you’re drafting something as important as a prenuptial agreement.
- Knowledge of Local Contract Law: It might sound obvious, but you should also work with someone who has an extensive understanding of local contract law in the State of California. Contract law can be quite complex. While it might overlap with divorce law in many areas, contract law is its own unique practice area.
WHY IS STOLAR LAW GROUP, APLC THE BEST OPTION FOR A PRENUPTIAL CONTRACT ATTORNEY?
If you have been searching for an experienced prenuptial contract attorney, look no further than Stolar Law Group, APLC. Over the years, we have helped a wide range of couples approach their marriages with confidence, including both wealthy and average-income individuals. We know that simply broaching the subject of a prenup can be challenging, but the first step is simple. Reach out to us today and book a consultation to put an action plan into motion. From there, we can discuss common challenges, such as encouraging your spouse to get involved in the drafting process. A prenuptial agreement can literally save you a lifetime of trouble, so get started now.
WHY MIGHT YOU NEED TO WORK WITH A PRENUP LAWYER?
California couples have a long history of working with prenup attorneys. Prenuptial agreements created in California often make headline news. Prenuptial agreements are especially popular among Hollywood celebrities, and these high-earning professionals understand how important it is to avoid public litigation. They also know that it makes sense to protect assets from those who might marry for money rather than love.
While Hollywood celebrities have been creating prenups for almost a century in California, prenup attorneys have also been assisting Silicon Valley executives during the past few decades. Many of these business leaders keep their prenuptial agreements private, as the confidential nature of these contracts is one of their top benefits. However, the general public quickly finds out when business leaders do not have prenups. An obvious example is Jeff Bezos of Amazon, who paid his ex-wife $38 billion upon their divorce. This was largely because a prenuptial agreement was not in place.
That being said, a wide range of people may need to work with a prenup lawyer, and you do not have to be a Hollywood celeb or a Silicon Valley CEO to benefit. Here are some examples of couples who might want to work with a prenup lawyer:
- Spouses concerned about being left penniless after the divorce
- Spouses concerned about losing their business in a divorce
- Spouses concerned about losing capital gains during a marriage
- Couples concerned about being forced to pay each other’s debts
- Spouses concerned about marital misconduct during the marriage
- Spouses concerned about the future costs of a divorce
- Spouses who want to limit disputes and bitterness during a potential divorce
- Spouses who want to keep the details of their financial arrangements private
- Spouses concerned about people wanting to marry them for money
- Spouses concerned about the commingling of assets during the marriage
WHAT CAN’T YOU PUT IN A CALIFORNIA PRENUP?
As most premarital agreement lawyers will tell you, a prenuptial agreement cannot include anything related to your children. This includes both custody and child support. In the eyes of the California family courts, these issues should be overseen by the state to ensure that the child’s best interests are being upheld.
You also cannot force your spouse to do anything illegal or unlawful with the contract. It is relatively easy to create a prenuptial agreement that would force spouses to commit unlawful acts if it were ever enforced. For this reason, it makes sense to have an experienced premarital agreement lawyer carefully draft your contract. It is important to with our experienced prenup attorney Steven Stolar to ensure your prenuptial agreement follows all the guidelines, and is enforceable. We know how to draft these agreements to cover California’s family laws. We don’t want to leave anything to chance, and neither should you, contact us today to get started.
WHAT CAN YOU PUT IN A CALIFORNIA PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENT?
Most prenuptial agreements focus on assets. These include both the assets that a spouse might already own and the assets that both spouses will likely acquire during the marriage. A prenuptial agreement might also include conditions relating to inheritance and gifts that spouses may receive during the marriage. In the context of California marriages and divorces, property is divided into two main categories:
- Separate Assets: These are assets that cannot be divided at the time of a divorce, and they may come in a number of different forms. Assets acquired both before and after the marriage are considered “separate.” In other words, this includes assets owned prior to the signing of the marriage contract and assets acquired after the date of separation. Separate assets also include inheritance and third-party gifts – even if this property was received during the marriage.
- Community Property: Community property includes all assets acquired during the marriage. This type of property is divided in a 50/50 manner between spouses at the time of the divorce. Community property may also include the increase in value of separate property that occurred during the marriage.
With this distinction in mind, a prenuptial agreement may protect both community property and separate assets. Take the example of Jeff Bezos once again: Although he might have owned Amazon prior to his marriage, it skyrocketed in value over the years before his eventual divorce. His ex-wife was therefore entitled to 50% of the increase in Amazon’s value. If he had created a prenuptial agreement that stipulated that all future growth of Amazon remained a separate, indivisible asset, he would not have had to pay a $38 billion divorce settlement. The prenuptial agreement would have protected both the separate asset (the Amazon corporation) and the community property (the increase in Amazon’s value during the marriage.
A prenuptial agreement can cover a few other topics aside from separate and community property. It might also stipulate how much money a spouse will receive in alimony (also known as spousal support). Going back to our earlier example, Jeff Bezos’ wife might have accepted losing her share in Amazon in exchange for a guarantee of a certain sum in alimony. Alternatively, both spouses might agree that alimony should not be paid – and they can include this in their prenuptial agreement. Note that, generally speaking, California prevents spouses from leaving their exes completely destitute. Indeed, a prenup that leaves a spouse completely penniless and homeless might be considered “unconscionable” – and therefore unenforceable in court. You don’t want to make the mistake of not hiring our experienced firm, and having a prenuptial agreement that gets challenged.
Although it is somewhat rare, prenups may also include financial penalties for marital misconduct. For example, one spouse might be concerned about the possibility of being cheated on during the marriage. If this is the case, their prenup can stipulate that each time one spouse cheats, they must pay a financial penalty to the other spouse. On a more general note, prenuptials are quite flexible in many respects. If you have specific goals that you would like to achieve with this contract, be sure to raise these issues with your premarital agreement lawyer.
CONTACT OUR PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENTS LAWYER TODAY
To know that you are getting the most enforceable prenuptial agreement, contact Stolar Law Group, APLC to set up an initial consultation. Our lead attorney personally drafts each premarital agreement to be legally binding, while fitting all your needs.
