Premarital (Prenuptial) Agreements

A premarital agreement (which you may have heard people call a prenuptial agreement) can affect the rights of a couple in the case of a divorce. For that reason, before signing a premarital agreement, you should strongly consider talking to a lawyer.

Iowa Code Chapter 596 discusses premarital agreements. A premarital agreement must be in writing and signed by both prospective spouses and becomes effective when the couple marries. There are ways to revoke a premarital agreement after the marriage, and that is discussed in Iowa Code section 596.7. There are also situations in which a premarital agreement is not enforceable, which is discussed in Iowa Code section 596.8. 

While many things can be agreed to in a premarital agreement, a premarital agreement cannot “adversely affect” spousal or child support.