Hollywood embraces the ‘post-nup’
YOU KNOW HOW IT IS.
You’re a multimillionaire A-lister who gets married at the drop of a hat, forgoing a pre-nup because, well, it’s not very romantic, is it? Only, it turns out being married isn’t like in all those films you star in. You want to try and work through your problems, but you don’t want to risk losing half your fortune should the worst happen. Introducing the Hollywood post-nup. According to one LA insider, ‘Post-nuptial agreements are becoming increasingly popular among struggling A-list couples with no pre-nup. They can be drawn up years into marriage, and protect couples’ individual fortunes in case they do end up divorcing.’
Apparently, a post-nup was one way Beyoncé and Jay Z got their marriage back on track, following infidelities alluded to on her recent visual album Lemonade. ‘They’re both extremely business-minded, and when they were going through their roughest patch, it was important for Beyoncé to feel clear about where she stood financially, whether they made it or not,’ said the insider. ‘Clarifying the division of their empire also helped them to resolve some of their trust issues. It meant that they both wanted to save the marriage for the right reasons.’
Michael Maguire, a Beverly Hills-based lawyer, tells Grazia, ‘Post-nups have become increasingly popular in Hollywood. The Californian courts are happy to recognise them as it removes a lot of discord and stress – especially with celebrities who have millions of dollars’ worth of assets. They are popular among couples who weren’t as successful when they first married as they are five or 10 years down the line. While a pre-nup might not even have been thought of, suddenly it makes sense. They're also attractive to A-list couples who start off with fairly equal assets before one of them goes on to have far more success than the other. When a marriage hangs in the balance, drawing up a post-nup can avoid a bigger fight down the road.’