As 2024 winds down, I can’t help but reflect on the lessons I’ve learned this year from the HelloPrenup couples we’ve had the opportunity to interview about their relationship, plans for the future, and secrets to success. These conversations have been a window into what makes relationships work— trust, teamwork, and intentional decision-making are some of the key takeaways on what it takes to build a strong foundation for a shared future. Here are a few of the most powerful lessons about love and partnership I’ve learned from HelloPrenup couples this year:
1. The Best Relationships Have the Tough Conversations
Let’s be honest—talking about money, assets, or “what if” scenarios can feel uncomfortable. These aren’t exactly romantic dinner table topics. One of the biggest lessons I have learned from HelloPrenup couples is that the strongest relationships aren’t the ones that avoid conflict—they’re the ones that face it head on.
I’ll never forget one couple who told me their prenup conversation was the first time they really opened up about their financial fears. For one, it was the fear of losing independence. Talking through those insecurities didn’t just help them create a prenup—it helped them understand each other better and set the tone for how they’d handle challenges moving forward.
And they aren’t alone. 75% of HelloPrenup couples choose to keep their premarital assets separate when entering into marriage However, a whopping 79% of couples plan to open a joint bank account with their future spouse. This suggests that while most couples prefer to keep their premarital assets separate to maintain that financial independence, they still intend to share financial responsibilities during the marriage.
These are so much more than just financial questions—they are questions about values, priorities, and the kind of marriage they want to operate within. The answers are rarely simple. At times, one partner had to sit with an answer they had not considered before, but every time, those conversations helped lay the foundation for a stronger relationship.
The bottom line is that so many couples told us they actually felt closer after having these prenup conversations—not further apart. Why? Because tackling the tough stuff early on builds confidence in each other.
2. It’s Us vs. the Problem, Not Me vs. You
One of the most inspiring things I’ve seen this year is how successful couples approach challenges as teammates rather than opponents. The couples who navigated their money conversations with ease didn’t look at this topic as a battle to win, but rather financial conversations as a way to work together to solve a problem.
And honestly, that mindset changes everything. Talking about things like inheritance, money, assets, or debts can bring up a lot of emotions. It’s easy to fall into a pattern of defensiveness or worry about “who owns what.” But the couples who really thrived were the ones who looked at it differently. They weren’t trying to protect themselves from each other—they were trying to protect their relationship together.
One couple I remember vividly approached their prenup with this exact mindset. He had built a business long before they met, and she had spent years supporting him, sometimes at the expense of her own career. Instead of letting those differences drive a wedge between them, they focused on how they could create an agreement that felt fair to both of them. They worked through it together, making sure his business was protected while also ensuring she shared in the success of the business in a meaningful financial way. They walked away from the process not just with a prenup but with a stronger sense of partnership.
One couple we spoke to created a prenup because the bride’s parents insisted on it—they wanted to protect any potential future family inheritance and also set a precedent for other family members. As the couple talked through why the prenup was important to her parents, they began to see it as a way to respect her family’s wishes while still building their own future together. Through honest conversations they crafted an agreement that kept the inheritance separate but also acknowledged their mutual contributions. In the end, the process brought them closer, teaching them how to navigate tough conversations as a team while reinforcing their commitment to one another. This couple is not alone in their desire to protect family inheritance. 90% of HelloPrenup couples also choose to categorize any future inheritance as separate property.
The takeaway? Being a team is one of the most important aspects of a relationship. When you approach problems together, it’s not about one person winning or losing—it’s about finding a solution that works for both of you. The truth is, every couple is going to face challenges. The couples who see themselves as a team and tackle this tough stuff together are the ones who are able to remain happy and connected. And that’s a lesson I’ll carry with me long after 2024.
3. Love Isn’t Static—It Evolves
Love doesn’t stand still. It changes, grows, and adapts as life throws new challenges and opportunities our way. The couples we spoke to reminded me that strong relationships aren’t about staying the same, but rather, evolving together.
Generally, I love to remind anyone who will listen that prenups are really about having big picture conversations about the future: Where do we want to be in 10 years? What are our family goals? How do we support each other through career changes and unexpected detours? These conversations are deeply emotional, and are more about what you want out of life than what you want to include in your prenup.
If there is one thing that stood out in our conversations with HelloPrenup couples this year, it’s how much the prenup process opens the door to honest, meaningful discussions about life goals. Whether it was a first marriage or a second, couples consistently used the prenup as more than just a financial agreement – it became a way to get real about what they wanted their future to look like.
For one couple, the prenup started as a practical tool to protect their premarital assets, but it quickly became something much bigger. As they worked through the process, they found themselves talking about the kind of life they wanted to build together: their career ambitions, plans for a family, and how they would navigate those goals as a team. What began as a financial conversation turned into a roadmap for their future.
Another couple, both in their second marriage, approached their prenup with a lot of intention. They’d been through divorces before, and they knew firsthand the importance of being completely transparent. They had children from previous marriages, retirement plans to protect, and personal assets they wanted to preserve, but they also wanted to build something new together. The prenup was about creating a shared future.
Bottom line? Prenup conversations bring clarity to relationships. The process of creating a prenup forced them to dig deep, to talk openly about what they valued, what they hoped for, and even what they feared. It wasn’t always easy—transparency never is—but every couple who embraced it came out of the process feeling more aligned and more connected.
Final Thoughts on the Love Lessons from HelloPrenup Couples
You can learn a lot by just simply listening to the lived experiences of real people. And that’s what we did in 2024–listened to real HelloPrenup couples talk about relationships, love, prenups, and everything in between. The three biggest lessons I learned about love are (1) Have the tough conversations–it brings you closer together; (2) Make it us versus the problem, not me vs. you–teamwork; and (3) Evolve together and create a process to making that evolution easy–align your goals. So, there you have it, folks, the recipe for a lasting marriage. Cheers to love and prenups!
Julia Rodgers is HelloPrenup’s CEO and Co-Founder. She is a Massachusetts family law attorney and true believer in the value of prenuptial agreements. HelloPrenup was created with the goal of automating the prenup process, making it more collaborative, time efficient and cost effective. Julia believes that a healthy marriage is one in which couples can openly communicate about finances and life goals. You can read more about us here Questions? Reach out to Julia directly at Hello@Helloprenup.com.
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