Sep 18, 2026 · 22 min
Prenups move from wealth protection to family planning
Should Everyone Get a Prenup?
Prenups can shape financial security for the spouse who leaves work to raise children, while forcing couples to confront money and responsibility before marriage.
- 1State divorce laws become the default financial agreement when couples do not create a prenup.
- 2Modern prenups can protect a stay-at-home spouse through trusts, lump sums, or alimony provisions.
- 3Negotiating an agreement helped one couple discuss money, vulnerability, and shared responsibilities before marrying.
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Anna Morgenstern and Zachary Spice explain how negotiating their prenup prompted candid conversations about money, vulnerability, and caregiving.
The brief
Prenups are shedding their image as tools for the wealthy, becoming part of broader financial planning as couples marry later and confront unequal economic risks.
Without an agreement, state divorce laws supply the default terms. A modern prenup can instead address what happens when one spouse leaves work to raise children.
Anna Morgenstern and Zachary Spice began with different associations: Anna saw prenups as something for wealthy people, while Zach remembered an earlier negotiation that turned adversarial.
Using online software, they discussed separate property, beneficiaries, health insurance, engagement rings, and how to support whichever partner might become a caregiver.
Their agreement did more than allocate assets. The negotiation opened conversations about money, vulnerability, and shared responsibilities—and ultimately strengthened their marriage.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Sex and the City
The StrangerBooks & mentions
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