At Charles M. Green, APLC, our Los Angeles prenuptial agreement attorneys understand that planning for marriage means planning for protection. When your business, retirement accounts, real estate, or future inheritance is at stake, a well-drafted prenup isn’t pessimism—it’s smart financial strategy.
For over twenty-five years, Certified Family Law Specialist Charles M. Green, Esq., CPA has combined deep legal knowledge with his background as a licensed CPA to craft enforceable prenuptial agreements for professionals, entrepreneurs, and high-net-worth couples across Los Angeles. His dual expertise means clients get financial analysis and legal strategy from the same attorney—no outsourcing, no translation gaps, no duplicate fees.
Our firm provides focused, financially informed prenuptial representation that blends precision with discretion. Every agreement receives the personal attention and analytical depth it deserves—from full financial disclosure to negotiation to California’s mandatory seven-day waiting period—ensuring you enter marriage with clarity and confidence.
If you’re engaged and considering a prenuptial agreement in Los Angeles, schedule a confidential consultation. We’ll assess your financial situation, explain California’s enforceability requirements, and develop a prenuptial agreement strategy that protects what you’ve built—and what you’ll build together.
If you’re engaged and considering a prenuptial agreement in Los Angeles, you likely have questions about how California’s community property laws will affect your assets, your business, and your financial future. You may also feel uncertain about how to approach this conversation with your future spouse without creating tension or mistrust.
These concerns are legitimate. California is a community property state, which means that without a valid prenuptial agreement, most assets acquired during your marriage—including income earned, real estate purchased, and retirement contributions—will be presumed equally owned by both spouses. If your marriage ends in divorce, that property gets divided evenly, regardless of who earned it or whose name appears on the title.
A well-drafted Los Angeles prenuptial agreement changes this default. It allows you and your fiancé to define your own terms for property division, spousal support, and the protection of separate property—all while you’re still on good terms and can negotiate fairly. However, California law imposes strict requirements on prenuptial agreements, and a prenuptial agreement that fails to meet these standards may be partially or entirely unenforceable when you need it most.
As a Certified California Family Law Specialist and licensed CPA with 27 years of courtroom experience in Los Angeles County family courts, I help couples create prenuptial agreements that protect both parties’ financial and property interests while withstanding judicial scrutiny. My dual expertise as both a family law attorney and an accountant means I understand not only the legal requirements but also the complex financial realities—business valuation, investment portfolios, stock compensation, and tax implications—that make high-asset prenuptial agreements particularly challenging.
Selecting the right prenuptial agreement attorney means finding someone who understands both the legal framework and the financial complexity of your situation. Here’s what I bring to your case:
27+ Years of LA County Courtroom Experience – I’ve seen prenups upheld and torn apart in Los Angeles family courts. That experience directly informs how I draft agreements that will withstand future challenges, whether your divorce occurs five years or twenty-five years from now.
Certified California Family Law Specialist (CFLS) – This certification from the State Bar of California requires demonstrated expertise and substantial experience in family law. It signals deep knowledge of California’s prenuptial agreement requirements under the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act and California Family Code sections 1610–1617.
Licensed CPA with Financial Expertise – Most prenuptial agreement attorneys rely on outside experts for financial analysis. My CPA license allows me to directly interpret financial statements, tax returns, business valuations, and complex compensation structures. This dual expertise is particularly valuable when your prenup involves business interests, stock options, retirement accounts, or substantial assets requiring careful valuation.
Bilingual Services for Los Angeles’s Diverse Community – My Spanish-speaking staff ensures that clients whose primary language isn’t English fully understand the documents they sign. This isn’t just good service—it’s essential for demonstrating the voluntariness that California courts require for enforcement.
Proven Track Record of Enforceable Agreements – The true test of a prenuptial agreement comes when it’s challenged in court. I draft agreements with litigation in mind, anticipating the arguments opposing counsel might raise and incorporating the documentation and procedural safeguards judges expect to see.
Creating an enforceable prenuptial agreement in California isn’t simply a matter of downloading a template and signing before your wedding. The entire process requires careful attention to legal requirements, comprehensive financial disclosure, and thoughtful negotiation. Here’s how I guide clients through each phase:
Step 1: Initial Consultation to Understand Your Situation and Goals
We begin with a thorough discussion of your financial picture: your assets, your debts, your income sources, your business interests, and your expectations for the marriage. I explain how California’s community property laws would apply to your situation without a prenup, and we identify the specific issues your agreement needs to address. This consultation also helps us establish realistic timelines—California law requires a minimum seven-day waiting period between presenting the final agreement and signing, and meaningful negotiation often takes weeks or months.
Step 2: Comprehensive Financial Disclosure and Asset Evaluation
California requires full disclosure of all assets, debts, and income before signing a prenuptial agreement. Incomplete disclosure is one of the most common grounds for invalidating a prenup later. Using my CPA expertise, I help you organize and document your complete financial picture: tax returns, real estate holdings, investment and retirement accounts, business financials, outstanding debts, and any anticipated future interests like inheritances or pending stock vestings. This disclosure becomes part of the agreement’s exhibits and protects against future claims that your spouse didn’t understand what they were agreeing to.
Step 3: Custom Drafting Tailored to California Family Code Requirements
Generic templates don’t account for California’s specific statutory requirements or Los Angeles County court expectations. I draft your agreement using language and structures that comply with the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act and relevant case law, addressing your specific circumstances rather than relying on one-size-fits-all provisions. This includes carefully drafted spousal support provisions that meet the heightened requirements for enforceability, clear property characterization terms, and—where applicable—business protection mechanisms with defined valuation methods.
Step 4: Negotiation and Revision Process
In most cases, both parties have their own attorney. I work professionally with your fiancé’s counsel to negotiate terms that protect your interests while remaining fair enough to withstand unconscionability challenges. We exchange drafts, explain proposed revisions, and work toward an agreement both parties can accept. This collaborative approach helps preserve your relationship and ensures your legal document reflects a genuine mutual understanding.
Step 5: Proper Execution for Maximum Enforceability
Timing and formalities matter. I ensure your agreement is presented with adequate time for review, that both parties have had the opportunity to consult independent legal counsel, and that signing occurs with proper documentation and notarization. These procedural safeguards create a clear record of voluntariness that protects the agreement if it’s ever challenged.
Los Angeles has many family law attorneys who draft prenuptial agreements. What distinguishes my approach is the combination of legal expertise, financial acumen, and local courtroom experience:
Dual Expertise as Attorney and CPA – Complex financial issues sink many prenuptial agreements. When your prenup involves business ownership, professional practice interests, stock options, RSUs, carried interest, or retirement benefits, you need an attorney who genuinely understands these instruments—not just their legal treatment, but their actual financial mechanics. My CPA background means I can analyze your business financials, interpret compensation structures, and design provisions that will actually work in practice.
High-Asset Case Experience – I regularly work with clients whose marital estates involve millions in business value, real estate portfolios across Los Angeles and beyond, entertainment industry income streams, and complex investment holdings. This experience translates into prenups that anticipate the disputes likely to arise in high-stakes divorces.
LA County Court Familiarity – After decades of practicing in Los Angeles, I understand local court procedures, filing requirements, and how judges in this jurisdiction tend to approach prenup enforcement issues. This knowledge helps me draft agreements more likely to be upheld if challenged.
Forensic Accounting Capabilities – My training enables me to identify when financial disclosure may be incomplete and to structure the agreement’s financial exhibits in ways that demonstrate adequate disclosure. If there are concerns about hidden assets or complex ownership structures, I can conduct an effective investigation.
Relationship-Focused Strategy – A prenup negotiated through aggressive posturing often damages the relationship before the marriage even begins. I approach negotiations as joint problem-solving, helping couples reach fair agreements while maintaining trust. The goal is clarity and protection for both parties—not “winning” at your fiancé’s expense.
Charles’s understanding of both the legal and financial sides made all the difference. We own multiple rental properties and my husband has a medical practice, and Charles drafted an agreement that actually addressed how those assets work in the real world.
I was nervous about asking for a prenup, but Charles helped us frame it as protecting both of us. My wife and I both felt the final agreement was fair, and the process actually brought us closer because we had to talk openly about money
As someone who inherited family wealth and property from my previous marriage that I needed to protect for my children, I needed an attorney who understood estate planning coordination. Charles’s approach gave me confidence that my kids’ interests are protected.
For a prenuptial agreement to be enforceable in California courts, it must satisfy specific requirements under state law. Understanding these requirements helps you appreciate why proper legal representation matters:
Written and Signed Agreement
California does not recognize oral agreements for prenuptial purposes. Your prenup must be a written contract signed by both parties. Notarization, while not explicitly required by statute, is strongly expected by courts and helps establish authenticity.
Voluntary Execution Without Coercion
Each party must sign voluntarily. If a court finds that one spouse was pressured—for example, presented with the agreement days before the wedding with a threat to cancel—the entire agreement may be invalidated. Timing, opportunity to review, and absence of undue influence all factor into voluntariness determinations.
Full Financial Disclosure
Before signing, both parties must provide complete disclosure of all assets, debts, income, and significant financial expectations. Alternatively, a party may waive disclosure rights in writing, but they must still have adequate knowledge of what they’re waiving. Hidden or undisclosed assets are a primary attack point when prenups are challenged.
Independent Legal Counsel or Knowing Waiver
California law places particular emphasis on independent counsel, especially for provisions relating to spousal support. If a party signing a spousal support waiver didn’t have their own attorney, courts apply heightened scrutiny. Even where not strictly required, retaining separate attorneys for each party dramatically improves enforceability and reduces claims of one-sided advantage.
Seven-Day Waiting Period
California imposes a mandatory seven-day period between the first presentation of the final agreement to the other party and their signing. This requirement exists specifically to prevent last-minute pressure and ensure adequate time for reflection and consultation. Prenups signed within this window face serious challenges to enforceability.
Compliance with the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act
California’s adoption of the UPAA, codified in California Family Code sections 1610–1617, provides the statutory framework governing prenuptial agreements. Compliance with these provisions is essential for enforceability.
A prenuptial agreement can address a wide range of financial matters, but California law places limits on certain provisions:
Property Division and Classification
You can define what remains separate property versus what becomes community property, how income from separate assets is treated, and how certain assets will be divided if the marriage ends. This is particularly valuable for protecting assets acquired before marriage or through inheritance.
Spousal Support Arrangements
Your agreement can address whether either spouse will pay support after divorce, for how long, and under what conditions. However, spousal support provisions face additional scrutiny—they must not be unconscionable at enforcement, and the waiving spouse typically must have had independent legal counsel.
Business Ownership Protection
If you own a business, professional practice, or partnership interest, your prenup can confirm it as separate property, establish valuation methods, and define how any marital interest will be calculated and addressed. This prevents forced sales or disruptive involvement of a former spouse in business operations.
Inheritance Rights and Estate Planning
Prenups can address how each spouse’s separate property passes at death, protect children from a previous marriage, and coordinate with wills and trusts. This integration ensures your prenuptial terms and estate plan work together consistently.
Debt Allocation
You can specify which debts remain the responsibility of one spouse—particularly important if one party enters the marriage with significant student loans, business debt, or tax liabilities. This prevents the other spouse from becoming responsible for these obligations.
Child Custody and Visitation
California courts must decide child custody based on the best interest of the child at the time of separation. You cannot predetermine custody arrangements in a prenuptial agreement.
Child Support Obligations
Similarly, child support must be determined in accordance with statutory guidelines and the child’s actual needs. Prenuptial provisions attempting to limit or waive child support are unenforceable.
Public Policy Violations
Terms that encourage divorce, waive domestic violence protections, or violate other fundamental policies will be struck down.
Unconscionable Provisions
Even if properly executed, provisions that would leave one spouse destitute or on public assistance may be deemed unconscionable and unenforceable. Courts look at both the circumstances at the time of signing and at the time of enforcement.
Lifestyle or Penalty Clauses
Provisions tied to personal conduct—infidelity penalties, weight requirements, and similar terms—are generally disfavored and may not be enforced, particularly if they appear punitive.
You don’t legally require a lawyer for a prenuptial agreement in California—but you should strongly consider hiring one. Courts can invalidate prenups where one party lacked independent legal counsel, especially if the agreement appears one-sided. Each spouse should have their own attorney to ensure the agreement is fair, fully understood, and enforceable.”
Possibly. Even without current wealth, you may benefit from a prenup if one partner has substantial debts (student loans, business obligations), if you anticipate an inheritance, if one spouse will sacrifice career progress to raise children, or if either of you plans to start a business. A prenuptial agreement addresses future circumstances, not just present ones.
Yes. Couples can amend or replace their prenuptial agreement through a postnuptial agreement after marriage. Postnuptial agreements have their own requirements and are subject to somewhat different scrutiny, but they allow couples to update their arrangements as wealth or circumstances evolve.
I recommend beginning at least three to four months before your wedding date. This provides adequate time for financial disclosure, drafting, negotiation, revisions, and the mandatory seven-day waiting period. Last-minute prenups create enforceability risks and add stress to your wedding preparation.
You cannot force someone to sign a prenup. However, a skilled attorney can help frame the conversation productively, explaining that the agreement protects both parties—not just the wealthier spouse. Sometimes resistance stems from misunderstanding what a prenup does. If your fiancé remains unwilling, you’ll need to decide whether to proceed with marriage under California’s default community property rules.
Absolutely. A properly drafted prenup can confirm your business as separate property, establish a baseline valuation at marriage, define how growth is treated (separate vs. community), and provide methods for calculating and buying out any marital interest. This is one of the most common and important uses of prenuptial agreements in Los Angeles’s entrepreneurial environment.
Costs vary significantly based on complexity. Simpler situations with straightforward assets may cost several thousand dollars. High-asset cases involving business valuations, multiple properties, complex compensation structures, or significant negotiation can cost substantially more. However, a few thousand or even tens of thousands spent now can prevent six- or seven-figure litigation costs later.
