Divorce Financial Impact Calculator
Free divorce financial impact calculator. Estimate the financial effects of divorce including asset division, new housing costs, legal fees, income changes, and adjusted living expenses.
Prenuptial Financial Planning Calculator
Free prenuptial financial planning calculator. Compare combined vs. separate finances, model asset protection scenarios, and understand the financial implications of different prenuptial arrangements.
💝 This tool helps couples model financial scenarios for productive money conversations. It is not legal advice. Consult an attorney for prenuptial agreements.
Partner A
$
$
$/yr
%
Partner B
$
$
$/yr
%
%
years
Partner A Net Worth⧉
$170,000.00
Saves $24,000.00/yr
Partner B Net Worth⧉
$5,000.00
Saves $9,750.00/yr
After 20 Years: Three Financial Models
🔒 Fully Separate
A: $1,641,738.00
B: $419,054.00
Gap: $1,222,684.00
🤝 Fully Combined
Each: $1,030,397.00
Total: $2,060,793.00
Gap: $0 (equal split)
⚖️ Hybrid (Typical Prenup)
A: $1,349,645.00
B: $711,147.00
Gap: $638,498.00
Visual Comparison (Year 20)
Separate — A$1,641,738.00
Separate — B$419,054.00
Combined — Each$1,030,397.00
Hybrid — A$1,349,645.00
Hybrid — B$711,147.00
Growth Timeline
| Year | Sep A | Sep B | Combined | Hyb A | Hyb B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | $170,000.00 | $5,000.00 | $87,500.00 | $170,000.00 | $5,000.00 |
| 2 | $244,313.00 | $25,907.00 | $135,110.00 | $229,565.00 | $40,657.00 |
| 4 | $329,394.00 | $49,843.00 | $189,619.00 | $297,759.00 | $81,478.00 |
| 6 | $426,803.00 | $77,248.00 | $252,026.00 | $375,836.00 | $128,216.00 |
| 8 | $538,327.00 | $108,624.00 | $323,476.00 | $465,226.00 | $181,725.00 |
| 10 | $666,010.00 | $144,546.00 | $405,279.00 | $567,569.00 | $242,989.00 |
| 12 | $812,195.00 | $185,673.00 | $498,935.00 | $684,741.00 | $313,129.00 |
| 14 | $979,563.00 | $232,760.00 | $606,161.00 | $818,891.00 | $393,433.00 |
| 16 | $1,171,181.00 | $286,669.00 | $728,925.00 | $972,479.00 | $485,372.00 |
| 18 | $1,390,565.00 | $348,390.00 | $869,478.00 | $1,148,322.00 | $590,634.00 |
| 20 | $1,641,738.00 | $419,054.00 | $1,030,397.00 | $1,349,645.00 | $711,147.00 |
This is a financial modeling tool for educational purposes. It is not legal advice. Prenuptial agreements should be drafted by family law attorneys with independent representation for both parties.
Planning notes, formulas, and examples
About the Prenuptial Financial Planning Calculator
A prenuptial agreement is fundamentally a financial planning tool. It doesn't predict divorce — it clarifies how finances work during and after marriage. Just as a business partnership agreement protects both partners, a prenup helps couples align on money expectations, define what's separate vs. shared, and reduce uncertainty.
This calculator helps you model different financial arrangements: fully combined finances, fully separate, or hybrid models. You can compare how assets grow under each scenario and understand what each partner brings to and gains from the marriage financially.
Approaching prenups as financial planning (not divorce planning) leads to healthier money conversations and stronger marriages. Couples who discuss money openly before marriage have lower rates of financial conflict later. This calculator quantifies the conversation by showing projected net worth under different arrangements over 5, 10, and 20 years, giving both partners a clear, data-driven foundation for making decisions that protect and benefit the relationship.
When This Page Helps
Money is the #1 source of marital conflict. This calculator helps couples have productive financial conversations before marriage. By modeling different arrangements, you can find a structure that feels fair to both partners and aligns with your shared values. Starting the marriage with financial clarity sets a foundation of trust and transparency.
How to Use the Inputs
- Enter each partner's current assets and debts.
- Input each partner's expected annual income and savings rate.
- Set a projection period (years into marriage).
- Compare combined vs. separate vs. hybrid financial models.
- Review how each partner's net worth evolves under each scenario.
- Use the insights to guide financial planning conversations.
Formula used
Separate Model: Each partner's assets grow independently
Combined Model: All assets pooled, split 50/50
Hybrid Model: Pre-marital assets stay separate, marital earnings split 50/50
Growth: Assets × (1 + growth rate)^years + Annual Savings × [(1 + rate)^years − 1] / rateExample Calculation
Result: Separate: A=$1.64M, B=$419K | Combined: each $1.03M | Hybrid: A=$1.35M, B=$711K
Using the page defaults, Partner A starts with the higher net worth and annual savings rate, so the fully separate model leaves A far ahead after 20 years. The fully combined model splits the projected marital wealth evenly. The hybrid model preserves each partner's starting net worth while splitting the growth from ongoing marital savings, which is why it lands between the fully separate and fully combined outcomes.
Tips & Best Practices
- Prenups don't have to be "all or nothing." The most common approach is a hybrid that protects pre-marital assets while sharing marital gains.
- Both partners should have independent legal counsel. A prenup signed without separate representation is more likely to be challenged.
- Full financial disclosure is required. Hiding assets invalidates the agreement.
- Consider including a "sunset clause" — the prenup expires after a set number of years (e.g., 10-15 years) when assets are sufficiently intertwined.
- Discuss annually. A prenup is a starting point; regular financial check-ins keep the marriage financially healthy.
- Prenups cannot address child custody or child support. Courts always determine these based on the children's best interest at the time.
The Three Financial Models
Most couples naturally fall into one of three financial models: (1) Fully Combined — all income, assets, and debts are joint. Works best when incomes are similar and both partners are comfortable with full transparency. (2) Fully Separate — each partner maintains complete independence. Works well for second marriages, significant income disparities, or business owners. (3) Hybrid — joint account for shared expenses, individual accounts for personal spending. This is the most common model and what most prenups default to.
Sunset Clauses and Fair Play
Many modern prenups include sunset clauses that phase out protections over time. The logic: after 10-15 years of marriage, lives are so intertwined that maintaining strict separation becomes impractical and unfair. Common approaches include gradually increasing the lower-earning spouse's share of marital assets by 5% per year of marriage, or full expiration after a set period.
Financial Conversations Before Marriage
Beyond the prenup itself, the process of discussing finances before marriage is incredibly valuable. Topics to cover: credit scores, outstanding debts, spending habits, savings goals, views on lending to family, career plans (especially if one partner may pause work for children), and inheritance expectations. These conversations prevent surprises that derail marriages.
Sources & Methodology
Last updated:
Methodology
This page is a financial-modeling worksheet, not a legal-drafting engine. It projects three simplified structures from the entered starting assets, debts, annual income, savings rates, growth rate, and time horizon: fully separate finances, fully combined finances, and a hybrid model that keeps starting net worth separate while pooling ongoing marital savings. Each scenario compounds the relevant balances at the selected growth rate and reports the projected values after the chosen number of years.
The output is only a framework for discussion. Real prenuptial agreements depend on state law, disclosure requirements, attorney drafting, enforceability standards, and the couple's actual agreement terms, so the page should be used to structure money conversations rather than to estimate a court result.
Sources
- What Is a Prenuptial Agreement? (American Bar Association) — ABA family-law overview of what premarital agreements can cover and why state-law variation matters.
- Budget Worksheet (consumer.gov) — Federal budgeting worksheet used as the baseline for the savings-rate and cash-flow assumptions in the scenario models.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in all 50 states, provided they meet basic requirements: voluntary agreement by both parties, full financial disclosure, no unconscionable terms, both parties had opportunity for independent legal counsel, and the agreement was signed well in advance of the wedding (not under duress). Some states have additional requirements. A well-drafted prenup with independent counsel is very likely to be enforced.
A prenup can address: asset division; debt responsibility; spousal support/alimony; business ownership protection; inheritance rights; property in multiple states; financial responsibilities during marriage. It CANNOT cover: child custody, child support, illegal provisions, or non-financial personal matters (like household chores).
A basic prenup: $1,500-$5,000 per spouse for attorney fees. Complex prenups (business ownership, multiple properties, trusts): $5,000-$15,000+. While this seems expensive, compare it to the cost of contested divorce ($25,000-$100,000+). A prenup is financial insurance.
Combined: all income and assets are joint property. Separate: each spouse maintains individual accounts and assets. Hybrid (most common in practice): joint account for shared expenses (housing, groceries, kids) while maintaining individual accounts for personal spending and pre-marital assets. Most financial planners recommend some version of a hybrid approach.
Yes, for several reasons: (1) It sets expectations for how you'll manage money during marriage. (2) It protects future earnings and business growth. (3) It addresses debt responsibility (you may not want to be responsible for your partner's student loans). (4) It simplifies things if your financial situation changes dramatically. Think of it as setting up the financial operating system for your marriage.
Yes. A postnuptial agreement (or "postnup") can modify or replace a prenup. Postnups follow similar rules but may face slightly more scrutiny since the power dynamic may have changed. Many couples update their agreements after major life events (children, business start, inheritance). Regular review every 3-5 years is wise.
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