Many couples want a prenuptial agreement but hesitate to raise the subject, worried it will sound like a lack of trust. In practice, an open conversation about money and property is a healthy part of building a life together, and when it is handled well it can even strengthen the relationship.
When to raise the subject
Start the conversation early, well before the wedding or before moving in together, not in the last weeks before the event. When there is time, neither partner feels pressured, and there is room to think, ask questions and come back to the subject more than once.
How to start the conversation
- Start from the shared goal: the agreement is meant to give both of you certainty and peace of mind, not to protect one partner from the other.
- Talk about facts: what each of you brings into the relationship, such as an apartment, savings, a business or debts, and what your plans are.
- Listen: ask what matters to your partner and what concerns they have.
- Don’t settle everything at once: at first it is enough to agree to look into it together.
Topics worth discussing
- Assets each of you built up before the relationship, and inheritances or gifts expected from parents.
- How you will manage money: a joint account, separate accounts or a mix of both.
- What will happen with an apartment you buy together, and who pays the mortgage.
- Pension savings, study funds and stock options.
- Children from a previous relationship, if any.
What should happen next
A prenup should be signed freely and with full understanding. Each partner should therefore have time to read the draft, ask questions and, if they wish, get independent legal advice. An agreement signed under pressure or at the last minute may lead to disputes later. For the approval stages, see How Is a Prenup Approved in Israel?
Next steps
Every couple’s situation is different, so the agreement should be built around yours. At Paz Israel & Co. Law Office we are happy to meet you both together, review your assets and plans, and explain the right approval route. To learn more, see our prenuptial agreement lawyer page, or contact us to arrange a meeting in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem or Modi’in.
This article provides general information about Israeli law and is not legal advice or a substitute for reviewing your specific circumstances.