Divorce: Many celebrity spouses regret not signing prenups
When a Virginia couple marries, both parties typically do so expecting that their relationship will last a lifetime. It is no secret, however, that this is not always the case, as many marriages end in divorce in this state and throughout the country. Some people are resistant to the idea of signing prenuptial agreements before they wed although many celebrity spouses who have failed to do so and later divorced say they regret their decisions.
A common reason many people cite for not wanting to sign a prenuptial contract is that they find the idea unromantic. Hollywood star Jessica Simpson says she was offended when her fiance asked her to sign a prenup. She also says she wishes she had listened to him because it may have helped her avoid a lot of stress when they divorced.
Property division is a top priority in many divorces. When one spouse earns a much greater income than the other, the court must determine or approve terms to include in the judgment of divorce, which may or may not include alimony. Aston Kutcher was just hitting the height of his career when he and his wife at the time, Demi Moore, decided to divorce. Kutcher says he regretted not having a prenuptial contract in place because he wound up having to shell out a lot more money than he expected.
James Cameron, the director of several blockbuster films, had already been married and divorced three time when he tied the knot with actress Linda Hamilton. They did not sign a prenuptial agreement. The court awarded Hamilton $50 million in the couple’s divorce, which may have left Cameron wishing he had done things differently before their wedding day. Any Virginian who is planning to marry and wants to avoid the types of problems these celebrities encountered may wish to discuss prenuptial agreements with an experienced family law attorney before walking down the aisle, especially if he or she is a high-net-worth individual.