A prenup is an important document if either member of a couple is bringing assets into a marriage. Some startups require its founders to have prenups so that the company will not be disrupted by a divorce. A prenup can also be important for people who create intellectual property ranging from inventors to artists or for anyone who brings substantial assets into a marriage. A Hollywood Florida pre-nup attorney such as Ben I. Farbstein may be able to help write a prenup that a couple is happy with.
Here are some celebrities who would have been better off with prenups.
Mel and Robin Gibson
After 30 years of marriage, Mel Gibson was ordered to pay his ex-wife half of his residuals for life. She also reportedly received an additional $425 million.
Rosanne Barr and Tom Arnold
Barr fired the attorney who suggested a prenup when she married Arnold in 1990. Four years later, he got $50 million in the divorce settlement.
Madonna and Guy Ritchie
Film director Ritchie was worth about $45 million when he turned down a $27 million offer from Madonna. The singer was reportedly worth about $500 million at the time, and Ritchie got $92 million.
Paul McCartney and Heather Mills
Despite an estimated worth of $660 million, McCartney declined to sign a prenup when he married Mills. This left her with a $35 million settlement on their divorce.
Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe
Both actors were just starting out when they married, but by the time they divorced, Witherspoon’s career had eclipsed Phillippe’s as she claimed $20 million per film to his $2.5 million. With no prenup in place, he got half of what she had earned.
Russell Brand and Katy Perry
Brand saved Perry money even though the two did not have a prenup when he refused the $20 million that was half of her earnings during their short marriage.
People do not go into marriage expecting to divorce or that their spouse will turn against them if they do divorce. However, a prenup is a sensible precaution that allows two people who love one another to reach terns that seem fair to them both during a time that is not as stressful as a divorce would be.
It is best to prepare this document with the assistance of a prenup attorney like Ben I. Farbstein to ensure that it is one that can withstand legal challenges. If you or someone you know is seeking a prenup, contact our firm at (954) 962-5900.
