Over the Bank Holiday weekend, there were reports that one of the biggest couples in America, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, had finally got married – with the ceremony being preceded by a pre-nuptial agreement.
According to reports, the couple have signed an “iron-clad” pre-nuptial agreement worth in excess of £82 million, and includes a clause which would see Kanye West face a £6 million bill if he cheats on Kim Kardashian.
Whilst reports have suggested that Kanye and Kim have signed a pre-nuptial agreement, in England and Wales such agreements are not legally binding; however, over recent years there has been a significant increase in the number of couples who are signing agreements before getting married.
Figures suggest that the increase in couples signing pre-nuptials follows a ruling four years ago, when a Supreme Judge ruled that a claim from an ex-husband to receive in excess of £5 billion of his ex-wife’s estate was not acceptable, in light of a pre-nuptial agreement the couple had signed. As such, the judge ruled that the ex-husband should only receive £1 million.
Although pre-nuptials are not currently legally binding within England and Wales, they are taken into consideration when a judge is making a decision in regards to financial assets during a divorce hearing – and for those couples who wish to sign such an agreement, our family law solicitors in Lincoln can assist.