Pop star Katy Perry and comedian Russell Brand recently finalized their divorce and many family law attorneys were shocked to learn that the best selling pop singer failed to get a prenuptial agreement before her marriage. Prenuptial agreements are legal agreements which detail the expectations of each spouse regarding the marriage and what would happen in the event of a divorce.
Prenuptial agreements allow spouses to define the legal boundaries that work for them, especially in the areas of property division. It is uncommon for high net worth individuals such as Katy Perry to get married without a prenuptial agreement because a divorce could be a financially difficult experience without one. Discussing financial matters and priorities before a marriage is also a very important and healthy thing to do, so premarital agreements should not be written off lightly.
Katy Perry said that she did not get a prenuptial agreement because she trusted that Brand would not take advantage of her if their marriage dissolved. Most people don’t marry individuals who they don’t trust, so this reasoning seems completely naïve to many commentators.
It appears however that the “Firework” singer was right in her particular case. The divorce from Brand was completely amicable and Brand has publically stated that he has no interest in his $20 million share of Katy Perry’s fortune. This number is half of what the chart-topping pop star earned during her 14-month marriage.
It should be noted that although the lack of a prenuptial agreement did not cause Katy Perry to lose millions of dollars, Katy Perry did take a huge risk in not signing a prenuptial agreement.
Source: TMZ, “Katy & Russell, No Prenup, No Regrets,” Feb. 11, 2012
