A prenuptial agreement may seem like an ironclad way to protect your premarital assets after your wedding, allowing you and your spouse to predetermine who is responsible for what assets -- and debts. But depending on your state's laws, a prenup may give you little or no protection in the event that your spouse files bankruptcy.
Prenuptial Agreements
A prenuptial agreement allows a couple planning to wed an opportunity to declare assets and liabilities held by each party individually prior to marriage. Each party lists his assets, and indicates how these assets will be handled during the marriage and in the event of separation or divorce. While prenuptial agreements are often contracted to protect premarital property, they may also include language specifying individual responsibility for debts incurred prior to the marriage.
A Thorny Legal Issue
A prenuptial agreement is intended to stand in a court of law as a couple's declaration of how property and liabilities will be handled during the marriage and in the event of divorce. While the federal Uniform Premarital Agreement Act makes prenuptial agreements legally binding, this legal protection only applies to legal actions between the married couple. Therefore, premarital agreements offer no legal protection from actions taken by creditors during bankruptcy proceedings.
Bankruptcy and Marriage
While it is possible for one spouse in a marriage to file bankruptcy without the other spouse filing as well, there is no guarantee that the spouse who does not file will not be held responsible for repaying the filing spouse's debts, and that includes spouses who had prenuptial agreements that separated their property and/or finances. If the debts leading to the bankruptcy were incurred by one spouse prior to the marriage and are held in that spouse's name only, there may be no legal ramifications for the non-filing spouse. However, if the debts were incurred during marriage, or the spouses live in a community property state, the non-filing spouse may be responsible, regardless.
Community Property States
Married couples living in community property states are left vulnerable to creditors when one spouse files bankruptcy and the other does not, regardless of whether a prenuptial agreement separated the couple's finances. In community property states, any debt incurred during the marriage is considered the property of both spouses, even if it is in the name of one spouse alone. In the event that one spouse files bankruptcy, creditors routinely go after the non-filing spouse for repayment.
States that recognize community property law are Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin. In Alaska, community property laws are optional if the spouses wish all marital property to be considered community property.
References
- Bankrate.com; Marriage Brings Love, Affection, Maybe New Debt; Steve Bucci; January 2009
- Bankrate.com; When One Spouse Files Bankruptcy; Justin Harelick; March 2007
- Experian. "What Happens to Your Credit When You Get Married?" Accessed September 2, 2020.
- Allstate. “We're Getting Married. How Does It Affect Our Insurance?” Accessed September 2, 2020.
- Internal Revenue Service. “Retirement Topics - IRA Contribution Limits.” Accessed September 2, 2020.
- Internal Revenue Service. "Section 1. Basic Principles of Community Property Law." Accessed September 2, 2020.
- Tax Policy Center. “What are Marriage Penalties and Bonuses?” Accessed September 2, 2020.
Writer Bio
A writer and information professional, J.E. Cornett has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Lincoln Memorial University and a Master of Science in library and information science from the University of Kentucky. A former newspaper reporter with two Kentucky Press Association awards to her credit, she has over 10 years experience writing professionally.