Protecting yourself financially against divorce isn't all pre-nups and anger
If you're on your way down the aisle soon, the last thing you want to think about is what happens to your finances if your marriage doesn't work out. Divorce rates in America are down, so there's a good chance your dreams of a flawless marriage that lasts until the "death do you part" thing happens. However, there are certain people who are more cautious and protective of what they have. They don't want to go the pre-nup route because their total amount of assets don't warrant that kind of extreme measure (that is sure to upset the other side). So what are they to do? Our best advice is to have a frank discussion before walking down the aisle about money to make sure you both are on the same page about…
Credit While this may not be an issue for older couples, many couples just starting out their lives may have pre-conceived notions about sharing everything in the house. Credit shouldn't be one of them. Both parties should have separate credit cards to build their histories for two reasons—first, to strengthen their own credit scores for when they're in the house for a market or car. Secondly, only being added to your spouse's cards could hurt both parties in case of a divorce. If it comes down the divorce, removing the secondary card holder during the proceedings is near impossible, and afterwards, building up your credit history will take time, the same span you could have used during marriage.
Your Finances Many marriages will end up creating a default partner that handles the finances. However, creating a schedule for both of you to go over the overall household numbers a couple of times a year will make it less likely that one of you will be left in dark if a split comes down the line.
Assets The closest cousin to a pre-nup is making sure you document all your assets that pre-date your wedding date. Retirement funds, brokerage accounts and the like are fair game when divorce lawyers come in. However, keeping a detailed record of where you stood before you were married gives you a good head start in keeping a lot of it afterwards.