Family law services are crucial for many families in Palm Springs, whether they’re new families just being formed or families that are going through changes as the individuals who make them up age. No matter what type of family you have or where you are in your journey, a family law attorney can assist you in protecting your interests and planning for your future.

At Heritage Legal, PC, our family law attorney has extensive experience assisting a diverse range of individuals and families, including the Palm Springs area’s many LGBTQ+ families, with their legal needs. Contact our firm for a free consultation and to learn more about the benefits of having a comprehensive marital agreement in place.

Why Marital Agreements Matter

Drafting a pre- or post-marital agreement that considers your family’s unique makeup and circumstances can help you achieve your goals, protect your assets, and support your long-term plans. With a clear, well-structured agreement in place, you can have peace of mind, knowing that your and your family’s best interests are being safeguarded.

Whether you’re planning to get married or have already said your vows, a well-crafted marital agreement can:

  • Protect your personal and family assets by clearly defining what counts as separate and marital property, including inheritance, businesses, future earnings, and pre-marital property
  • Clarifying financial expectations between spouses, including debt responsibility and the income each party brings into the marriage
  • Defining inheritance rights and obligations to support your estate plans and make sure both parties are on the same page regarding what will happen after they die
  • Minimizing future uncertainty by clearly defining the terms of the marriage and what each party hopes to achieve through it

Individuals in Palm Springs often bring significant personal, business, and real estate assets into marriages, making marital agreements even more crucial. Since California is a community property state, most property acquired by either spouse during the marriage is considered marital property, unless a marital agreement is in place that states otherwise.

Family Law Services We Provide

The family law services our firm provides focus on assisting individuals and families in preparing for their futures. This involves drafting bespoke pre- and post-marital agreements that reflect your goals, protect your interests, and promote communication between couples to achieve long-term financial objectives.

Pre-Marital Agreements

Pre-marital (prenuptial) agreements are created and signed before a couple gets married. These agreements define the individual property, financial responsibilities, and expectations of each party entering into the marriage.

Every pre-marital agreement is unique, as it depends on the particular financial situation and circumstances of each family. Some of the ways our family law attorney can use a prenuptial agreement to assist your family are by:

  • Including clauses to classify certain assets obtained after the marriage as individual property
  • Addressing the parties’ current and potential future income and how it affects their financial responsibilities in the marriage
  • Clarifying who is responsible for debts brought into the marriage
  • Addressing inheritance and how it applies to children from previous marriages
  • Protecting existing estate plans and outlining when updates to them should be made

With a properly drafted pre-marital agreement in place, both partners can enter the marriage with clearly defined expectations, promoting transparency between them and supporting their long-term success.

Post-Marital Agreements

Post-marital (postnuptial) agreements serve the same functions as pre-marital agreements, but are created and signed by a couple after they are married. As individuals age and experience significant life changes, they may decide that they want their financial relationship to be more clearly defined. This is where a post-marital agreement can help.

Common reasons for couples creating post-marital agreements include:

  • Acquiring significant assets, including real estate properties, businesses, inheritance, and investments
  • Swapping to a new career that involves a major change in one partner’s finances
  • Establishing financial guidelines to promote clarity following a reduction in shared income or disputes over spending
  • Updating family and financial goals as the couple ages and their needs change
  • Protecting the inheritance of blended family members as family dynamics shift over time
  • Making changes to an estate plan that require the partners in the marriage to maintain financial expectations and responsibilities

Couples can create a postnuptial agreement at any time in their marriage. It’s never too early or too late to draft a document that will protect your and your family’s financial situation.

Who Benefits from Family Law Services?

Anyone planning to get married or who is already married can benefit from family law services. Our firm drafts comprehensive pre- and post-marital agreements for all of the following:

  • Individuals – Protecting personal assets and financial interests when entering a marriage can be beneficial for individuals with significant property and income that could otherwise be commingled with their spouse’s during the marriage.
  • Married Couples – Establishing guidelines to promote a couple’s financial well-being can affect the longevity of the marriage and make it easier to resolve potential disputes.
  • Cohabiting Couples – Not all couples end up getting married, even if they have children together. A cohabitation agreement is similar to a marital agreement, as it protects the assets of cohabitating individuals while also providing them more financial flexibility.
  • LGBTQ+ Couples – LGBTQ+ individuals and families can face unique challenges that may be addressed through marital agreements. Our firm has extensive experience working with the LGBTQ+ community and other types of non-traditional families.
  • Blended Families – Families in which spouses have children from previous marriages can sometimes encounter issues involving inheritance, which can be addressed through a marital agreement.

Contact Our Family Law Attorney

If you are in need of family law services in Palm Springs, including having a pre- or post-marital agreement drafted, contact Heritage Legal, PC, for a free consultation with an experienced attorney. Our lead attorney, Christopher Heritage, has a well-earned reputation for knowledge, skill, and compassion, and has an inclusive approach to providing legal services to all members of the community in need.