Getting a prenup online is as easy as riding a bike! Maybe even easier. And the best part? You don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home. That’s right; you can get a legally sound prenup while sipping a glass of wine and wearing your PJs. I mean, c’mon– do you really need anything more than that?! Okay, in all seriousness, getting a prenup is very simple. HelloPrenup’s online prenup platform will guide you step-by-step through the whole process, so you can worry about the fun stuff, like what wedding cake you’re going to have.
What is a prenup, and how does it work?
A prenup is a contract that is executed before the wedding day between two people about to get married. Prenups generally cover topics like property division, alimony (i.e., spousal support or maintenance), debt allocation, and more. Not every matter in a prenup deals with divorce. There are some clauses that handle obligations during the marriage, as well.
People that sign a prenup are bound to its terms during the marriage and in the event of a divorce. For example, if you include a clause in your prenup about requiring life insurance during the marriage for a specific death benefit amount, you must stick to it. The same goes for matters in divorce, such as property division and alimony. If you have a valid and enforceable prenup and waive alimony, you are stuck with your decision.
Most people hope to never have to invoke their prenup in the event of a divorce. If you do find yourself in a divorce, you could privately enforce your prenup between you and your future ex, or you might have to ask a court to enforce it if either one of you is disputing the prenup.
What is an online prenup?
An online prenup is a way to get a prenuptial agreement via the internet. You don’t have to go to an attorney’s office, but instead can get in your PJs, log onto the World Wide Web, and get your prenup done. At the moment, there aren’t many options for obtaining a valid online prenup besides HelloPrenup. There are many prenup templates available that you can download, but those are generally made for the masses; they are not tailored to your specific situation.
HelloPrenup’s platform is not a template made for the masses. It’s a customized prenup to fit your needs. First, you and your partner walk through a questionnaire that helps determine what goes into your prenup. Then, there is a negotiation phase in which you and your partner work out any discrepancies in your answers. Finally, you download your prenup, and voila, you have yourself a legally sound prenup that you can now either take to an attorney for review or skip the attorney (if that’s right for your situation) and go straight to notarizing and signing.
Online prenup vs. attorney-made prenup
What is the difference between getting an online prenup and going the traditional route of using an attorney? Well, for starters, online prenups can be done from the comfort of your own home. You don’t need to go anywhere or call anyone to make it happen. This is in contrast to using an attorney, in which you will need to speak with them either over the phone or in-person to make the prenup happen. Online prenups are also much cheaper. For example, with HelloPrenup, it costs $599 per couple, as opposed to an attorney, which costs, on average, $2,500.
Online prenups can also be done at a much quicker pace than with an attorney. An attorney has other clients to tend to, and they may take weeks to months to complete your prenup, depending on many different factors. An online prenup with HelloPrenup can take two hours or less!
Online prenups with HelloPrenup put you in the driver’s seat. You control what goes into your prenup, and you get to fully understand each clause because we give you helpful tips, tricks, and information on each. Compared to using an attorney, they may simply ask you a bunch of questions and then prepare the prenup. You may be less in control than you would be using HelloPrenup’s interactive platform.
Overall, both options are great options. Using attorneys has its benefits, too, like having access to a very knowledgeable person who you can ask endless questions (but remember you are paying for it!).
Some people opt to use a hybrid method of using both an online prenup and an attorney. They may generate a prenup using HelloPrenup’s platform and then take it to an attorney for a “gut-check,” simple review, questions, or even representation. This still saves the customer time and money that would’ve been spent with the attorney drafting up the prenup.
How to get a prenup online
Okay, so now that you understand the full landscape of online prenups, let’s dive into how to get one. Getting a prenup online is pretty straightforward, especially with HelloPrenup. You create an account, answer some questions, negotiate any discrepancies, and generate the prenup! That’s it! We can’t speak for other websites, but as we said earlier, there are many websites offering online prenup templates that are not customized prenups made to fit your situation. They are made for the masses and may not make sense for you. For example, a prenup template might automatically waive alimony for you, but that might not be right for your situation.
How it works with HelloPrenup
Getting an online prenup with HelloPrenup is simple. HelloPrenup will walk you through, step-by-step, the whole way, with information and resources at your fingertips.
Step 1: Create your HelloPrenup account
Just like with any online platform, you’ll need to create an account for yourself. You will need to fill out basic information like your name, email, state, and wedding date.
Step 2: Invite your partner
After creating your account, you’ll need to invite your fiance, of course! Your partner also needs their own separate account.
Step 3: Each of you completes a questionnaire
Once you and your partner have successfully created your accounts, you will each separately walk through a questionnaire. The questions revolve around the important issues that go into a prenup, such as property division, joint bank accounts, alimony, inheritances, gifts, and more.
Step 4: Financial disclosure
There is a section during the questionnaire which will require you to disclose your finances. You will need to divulge all of your financial information in this section, such as the value of any real estate you own, debt balances, future inheritance amounts, and more. This will be known as the financial schedule and will be attached to the back of your prenup.
Step 5: Negotiate any differences in your answers with your partner
Once you’ve completed the financial disclosure and the questionnaire, you will need to work out any discrepancies with our partner. Let’s say they answered “no alimony” for the alimony question, but you answered, “yes, leave alimony on the table.” You two will need to work this out and come to an agreement on which one it will be.
Step 6: Download your prenup
After coming to terms with your partner on every last topic, you’re done! All that’s left? Generate that prenup and download it.
Step 7: Notarize and sign (or take it to an attorney)
At this point, if you are going the route of using an attorney to review, answer questions, or represent you, you’d do that now. If you are not using an attorney, you can skip right ahead to the notarization and signatures part.
Step 8: Buy a bottle of champagne and think about how you’re going to spend the extra money you saved
Most online prenups will save you a boatload of money. In fact, with HelloPrenup, you’re saving, on average, $1,900. After you’ve finalized your online prenup, think about how you’re going to spend that $1,900 that you saved on attorney’s fees. Maybe a flight to the Maldives? A (small) Louis Vuitton purse? I mean, the options are endless!
The Bottom Line
Getting an online prenup is as easy as pie, especially with HelloPrenup. Beware: there are some types of online prenups that are merely templates made for the masses, not individual couples. This can be problematic because using a template that doesn’t apply to your situation can cause a lot of damage if you ever have to use it. HelloPrenup’s online prenup is tailor-made to your life, needs, goals, and wants.
An online prenup with HelloPrenup can take under two hours and be much cheaper than using an attorney. Online prenups also give you control in the prenup-making process. How to get an online prenup depends on what company you use. If you use HelloPrenup, we will walk you through the steps after you sign up.
Nicole Sheehey is the Head of Legal Content at HelloPrenup, and an Illinois licensed attorney. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to prenuptial agreements. Nicole has Juris Doctor from John Marshall Law School. She has a deep understanding of the legal and financial implications of prenuptial agreements, and enjoys writing and collaborating with other attorneys on the nuances of the law. Nicole is passionate about helping couples locate the information they need when it comes to prenuptial agreements. You can reach Nicole here: [email protected]
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