With Valentine’s Day in the rearview, it feels like a good time to talk about divorce. Statistics about it are nebulous — we’ve all seen the “half of marriages end in divorce” stat — but the realities of it are very real, particularly for a generation shaped by parental separation. As a result, they’re putting off getting married, along with other life milestones.

It’s not because of a deliberate avoidance of adulthood but because of a desire to be intentional about big decisions (something that could not be said of their parents). Unsurprisingly, this practical mindset is also one reason why they’re embracing more than a social contract in their relationships.

It’s all love: Prenuptial agreements are no longer exclusive agreements for those marrying rich anymore — and biases that they are for “people worried about getting divorced” are going by the wayside, too. Half of Americans now support the use of prenups, driven by more young people who are embracing the structure and solace of actual contracts in addition to the social contract of their relationships.

• Prenups protect both parties’ incomes and assets, providing specific details on the value of assets — and how they will be distributed or divided up in the event of separation.
• They can also protect you from your partner’s liabilities, which can prevent creditors from pursuing you for your partner’s debts or unpaid bills.

Matters of Heart and Mind

JPMorgan notes that a prenup also exists to supplement an estate plan, offering clarity on how property and assets should be treated in a worst-case scenario. But on the sunny side, putting together a prenup can be an opportunity for two people to better understand their relationship.

• Finances and money are considered leading causes of marital discord, which risk turning otherwise great marriages into divorces — all the more reason to open up the conversation and get candid.
• Lawyer Morgan Mazor told Quartz that the process of writing a prenup has “really opened the dialogue” about what clients’ economic partnership would look like in a relationship.

Where can I get one? The best kind of prenup is the one you never need, but if you ever need it, you’ll be glad you did. For simple finances, you can also use a service like HelloPrenup ($599). However, for those with more complicated financial situations, it might be wise to employ the services of a lawyer to set up a prenup — and potentially, other estate documents, too. Companies like LegalZoom can connect you with lawyers who are experienced in this area. That might set you back several thousand by contrast, but just think about what might be lost if things turn for the worse.