The subject of what will happen if you and your spouse divorce is probably not a comfortable one, but it is worth addressing in a prenuptial agreement. One important question is whether you and your spouse will be self-supportive without the income of the other spouse. A prenuptial document may help you with this dilemma.
If you and your spouse have nearly equal incomes, the issue of self-sustainability will probably not be as critical. However, your spouse may want to leave the workforce to stay home and take care of the children. This is something your prenup should address.
Problems finding a post-divorce career
Kiplinger explains that if your spouse stays home for several years to care for your children, your spouse may face limited job options if he or she needs to return to the workforce after a divorce. Say your spouse had a well-paying job as a manager at a company. Ten years later, your spouse may lack the skills and training to take that same job again. As a result, your spouse may only be eligible for jobs with a lower starting salary.
Using a prenup to help a spouse
You can take certain steps in your prenup to reassure your spouse. You may shift the balance of spousal support so that your spouse receives a greater share if you two divorce. Your spouse may have a lower-paying job but more support to compensate. Alternatively, you may put aside money to help your spouse with vocational training. This could help your spouse raise his or her skill levels to attain a job with a higher salary.
Putting in provisions such as these may make your spouse feel more confident about staying home to care for your children. The cooperation the two of you experience while working out your options may also help strengthen your relationship and make it less likely that you will need to use your prenup.