North Carolina couples may be more likely to get a divorce if they run into conflicts over money since this is the source of one of the most common disagreements in a marriage. Almost half of all first marriages end in divorce while at least 60 percent of second marriages and 70 percent of third marriages do as well. Therefore, couples might want to discuss their attitudes towards money and plans for their financial lives prior to marriage.
Before they walk down the aisle, couples should be up front about what each is bringing into the marriage in terms of debts and assets and whether they want to have joint or separate accounts. They should discuss their attitudes about savings and budgeting, whether they will have a prenuptial agreement, and whether they might inherit anything from family members. They should also talk about mortgages, taxes and paying bills.
The couple should take a look at their retirement and estate plans. If they hope to have children together, they should plan for how they will pay for them to go to college as well as whether one of them will stay home with the children.
When a marriage fails in spite of these conversations or because these conversations have never taken place, people might be worried about their finances. A prenuptial agreement is no guarantee against a conflict over property division if one person wants to challenge it. For example, if a judge thinks one person had inadequate legal counsel when they signed the prenup or was pressured into it, it could be declared invalid. Couples without a prenup might want to try to negotiate a property division settlement agreement with the assistance of their respective attorneys rather than going to litigation.