Call me a romantic, but I loved the movie,
“Last Chance Harvey,” which paired Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson in a “last
chance” September romance. In the movie,
Dustin Hoffman’s Harvey Shine portrayed
the painful melancholy of everyone who has ever burned out on their career,
failed in their marriage, and lost touch with their children. When he finally
decided to take one last chance with Emma Thompson’s delightful Kate Walker, I was cheering for the
triumph of Second Chances.
Call me a cynic, but when the movie ends
and real-life begins, Harvey and Kate should consider a pre-nuptial agreement
before they plan the wedding. Last week the
Wall Street Journal published an article, “I
Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Sign Here” about the growing tendency of baby
boomers to employ pre-nuptial agreements. According to WSJ, pre-nuptial
agreements are becoming commonplace among baby boomers who want to protect
their assets, their new spouses, and any children from a previous marriage.
What some people fail to realize is that pre-nuptial agreements dictate what
happens to assets in the event the couple should part ways – either by divorce
or death.
While pre-nuptial agreements can go a long
way toward protecting the parties involved, they should not be considered a
substitute for a will or a comprehensive estate plan.